


A Sun and Moon

by Religious



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alpha Kara Danvers, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Arranged Marriage, F/F, G!P, Girl Penis, Girl Penis Kara Danvers, Omega Lena Luthor, Romance, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, also non gp sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-23
Updated: 2019-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-27 08:47:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 27,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15020975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Religious/pseuds/Religious
Summary: "How am I to love her, if I do not know her?" she asked, pain lacing her voice."Silly girl," said the woman "can you not see that you love her already?"Eventually, the sun will catch the moon.





	1. An Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone. To preface this before you read, I have not written for a while and have no beta. I still hope you enjoy this story, as I enjoy writing it. Comments and critiques on my work are very much appreciated!
> 
> Please visit my profile for more information.

_You will be locked in battle, and neither will gain a hand over the other. The southern kingdom will rain fire down onto the land, and the Northern Kingdom shall rain ice down until it will seem the stars are falling from the sky. Your war shall be relentless, passing 5 cycles before you both collapse under the weight of your sins. Fire will melt snow, and only then shall you go to Morok-zol, the sacred grounds, and give your offerings._

_Only when the sun catches the moon and the moon catches the sun shall there be peace between your kingdoms._

* * *

 

The fields were quiet, and the wind whispered gently through the long grasses that surrounded Morok-zol. Untouched by time, the tall spires of the sacred grounds rose confidently around the central arena, which in the centre sat a large alter. No one lived in this place or dared to claim it- it was merely a crossing point between the two kingdoms. As a result, half of Morok-zol lay in the southern kingdom while the other half lay in the northern kingdom. It sat alone and far from any town or city, with only the western forest and the mountains as company. For travellers it served as a marker between the two kingdoms, however travellers were rare these days.

“They say this is where Rao and Lupus came down upon the earth in the beginning.” Lionel Luthor said. His voice was but a whisper, but in the silence of the arena of Morok-zol he might as well have been yelling. He was a thin man, bald, with sharp features. He wore a cloak made from wolf fur and his armour was silver in the dying light of the sun. a silver bow was slung across his shoulders and a silver sword hung at his waist. he gave a grim smile- the smile of a man defeated. Behind him, his retinue of royal guards shuffled uneasily. This was a holy place perhaps, but the common folk had many superstitions about holy places.

“Imagine that? The sun and the moon came down from the sky to touch the earth and breathe into it life. I wonder why they chose this place?” he murmured, quieter now. He bowed his head as his hand ran against the cool stone of the altar before him. A woman, similar in height to him stepped forward, a little moving bundle cradled in her arms. The air had begun to cool now as the sun set, and the beginnings of winter had begun to creep into a chill in the air. The little bundle whimpered, and the woman tucked it closer to her body, shushing it softly. Her hair was the colour of red bark, and her features were also sharp, with high cheekbones and grey eyes.

“And our little Lena,” she whispered, her voice laced with worry as she clutched the bundle closer to her chest. “kissed by the moon, why have we brought her here?”. Lionel turned, his brow furrowed as he wrapped his arm around the woman. Gently, he reached down towards the bundle in her arms, tucking down the small cloth that obscured the baby’s face from view. His thumb rubbed softly across her little features. From her tuft of ink black hair across her little forehead and down her nose. He smiled softly as the baby gurgled in response.

“My beautiful little Lena.” He cooed and took the baby gently from her mother’s arms. The woman resisted somewhat, unsure what her husband wanted to do with the child, her maternal instincts fighting with her trust in the man.  He turned back towards the altar as he rocked the baby gently in his arms.

“They will be here soon,” he explained gently to his wife “him and his wife and that accursed witch woman. he has birthed a child, kissed by the sun. now do you understand? The moon and the sun have been birthed at the same time. The witch was right.” His voice grew angered by the end of his explanation, and the baby fussed some in his arms. The soldiers murmured to each other behind him, but they quietened when he shot them a look.

He did not blame them. They had been fighting a war for almost 5 winters now, a never-ending war that had bought little but death and destruction for his kingdom. The soldiers were tired and scarred from the many years of battle, and many longed to return to their homes in the north. They missed their wives and their children, and many had lost their brothers and their friends. Ashamedly, Lionel had no one to blame but himself. It was he that had slowly escalated problems between the kingdoms until a war had broken out. Loss was a humbling thing, he realised, because the southern kingdom had decimated his army and had bought them down to their knees. Truly, fire had melted snow. Lionel gently handed the baby back to his wife.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of hoofbeats hitting the dry earth. Soon, a retinue of a hundred armoured horse riders funnelled into Morok-zol. The horses were girdled with brightly coloured tassels and as they approached the alter Lionel could see at their head was a tall, heavy set man covered in thick golden plate armour. The southern king was unmistakable, the bane of his armies and a terror on the battlefield. The golden bow in his back and the golden sword hanging off his hip a dead giveaway. Their horses stopped on the other side of the altar, and that is when Lionel released that the king himself was carrying his child against his chest as he rode, in a sling that crossed his chest. The king of the south dismounted his thoroughbred and landed gently on his feet, one of his large hands bracing against the babe in his arms. The man stood head and shoulders over Lionel, and one of his hands could wrap completely around the bald man’s throat. The king of the south had a heavy brow and serious features, and a crop of blonde hair upon his head and a small beard on his face. Tattoos and scars ran down his arms, which were thick like trunks of a tree.

“Lionel Luthor, king of the north.” Said the southern king, by way of greeting. His voice was deep and gravelly, yet still very kind.

“Zor-El, king of the south. Where is your queen-wife?” Replied Lionel, bowing slightly. Behind him, his royal guard shuffled nervously, outnumbered two to one. Zor-El smiled, giving a small shrug by his standards, however due to his size it seemed large.

“She had no interest in coming if we didn’t plan on killing all of you. But I did bring Catherine. Hello Lillian.” Zor-El gestured behind him at the mention of Catherine and peered behind Lionel to give Lillian Luthor a small wave. The queen of the north clutched her baby closer to her chest in response.

“You must forgive her for not coming. She blames you for the death of her brother and has taken it quite hard.” The man’s usually kind eyes became flinty at this. “But we have all lost something in this war, haven’t we?”. He continued. Behind Zor-El, on a white horse a woman with short blond hair dismounted. She wore thin leather armour, and two daggers were strapped to each thigh. Lionel recognised her immediately. Catherine grant. The witch. His eyes narrowed upon her.

“Why have you brought her here?” he snapped, gesturing to the woman who had come to stand next to the two men. Zor-El once again gave a lazy shrug.

“Catherine warned us all what would happen if we kept the path we had chosen, and she was correct. Perhaps it would be a good idea to listen to her if she happens to have anything else to say… also, she wanted to come.” He admitted begrudgingly, shooting the older woman an exasperated look. She merely smiled in response and turned to Lionel.

“Greetings, your majesty.” She said, bowing her head. Lionel snorted in response. The blonde woman put no value on words of respect because she respected only the gods Rao and Lupus, and Lionel knew this. She had never felt governed by the rules of either kingdom, or the kingdom before them. He had always seen her as a slippery woman, one that he found hard to pinpoint her exact motivation or goals. As if being able to sense his thoughts, she cocked her head at him, somewhat mockingly and smiling slightly.

“As I said in my prophecy, the fire of the south will melt the snow of the north after five cycles, and here we are at Morok-zol, at the cusp of the end of the fifth winter.” She gestured around herself, and the scarred soldiers with weary eyes and fatigued postures. “And now you have lost so much and gained nothing that you originally wanted. Are you happy Lionel, child of Lupus? What of you, Zor-El, child of Rao?”

Lionel shook his head at the woman’s words. He had lost everything to the kingdom in the south, those that were standing tall before him had taken everything and yet they were cruel enough to ask if he was happy with what he had done. Tears of shame stung his eyes, and before he could wipe them away a few traitorous ones ran down his cheeks. He would not stand here before his death with his child and wife behind him and be shamed before they slaughtered him. He straightened his back and met the eyes of the king across from him. His voice was thick with emotion.

“If you are to kill me,” he began “I ask that you simply cut off my head. You may have my kingdom, and my riches, and my people. But do not shame me in front of my wife and my child. I ask that you are merciful in this, and merciful to them when I die.” He finished, kneeling next to the altar. He bent low at the waist, so his head lay against the alter and crossed his arms behind his back, closing his eyes. Little Lena began to cry in earnest, and her mother shushed her desperately, fighting back her own tears. Lionel’s words were met with long moments of silence.

“I have no interest in the northern kingdom, you fool. Stand up before I kick you where is counts.” A gruff voice said above him. Lionel opened his eyes to see Zor-El peering down at him. He looked like a blonde bear at this angle. Slowly, Lionel stood back up onto his feet. The baby on Zor-El’s chest gurgled slightly, the first sound that it had made since arriving, and the large man looked down at his child adoringly and gave the baby one of his fingers to play with.

“I have no interest in the northern kingdom,” he said again, staring at Lionel seriously from under his heavy brows. “I have no interest in the jewels of the northern mountains, or the fine cloths you make, or the fine stones you build your castles with. They are fine things, but they are the things that make you and your people happy. In the south, we have our wine, and our food and our hunting. We have fine castles too, but it is warmer in the south, and not cold like the north. There are fine things in the north, but there are fine things in the south too. That is what I tried to tell you years ago, before this mess began. My kingdom is happy. My kingdom makes me happy. I do not need another.” He sighed heavily, gesturing behind him. A man in plate armour brought forward a knife, a scroll and inkpot, and a candle to make a wax seal and set them upon the altar. The baby on his chest gurgled again, and this time the large man unwrapped the sling from his chest and lifted the child gently into his large hands.

Now Lionel could see the child unhindered. She was so small looking in the man’s giant hands, but Lionel could already tell the child would be tall like her father. She was so different from Lena. Lena was petite and delicate in her own way, and this child had a shock of blonde hair so startling compared to his own child. Perhaps the most startling difference was her eyes, which were a deep, deep blue and wide open and she suckled on her fingers and surveyed the world. Lena’s eyes were a complex of many greens, like the leaves of the forest. How different they were, one kissed by the sun god Rao and the other kissed by the moon god Lupus.

“I don’t understand.” Lionel Luthor said, looking bewildered. Zor-El smiled slightly in response. He gave yet another shrug, seemingly unbothered by the events unfolding.

“What I am saying is, keep your kingdom, and your people, and your family. Those things do not interest me. My advisors have written a treaty- it restores our old borders and opens up trading and travel routes again. It does have a war levy for stone for the next six years- we need it to restore our buildings, but I do not wish to tax your gold or jewels. I know you think we are just some barbarians from the south, but we have lost enough as it is.” The southern king said. Lionel gaped at him.

“I-I don’t _understand_.” He said again, louder this time. “Well, I do, but I don’t- is this a trick? Are you deceiving me?” he asked, bracing himself against the altar. He suddenly felt lightheaded. He could hardly believe this- truly, how could he really?

“Well, there is one other thing I want.” Said the taller man, his voice serious. “We must fulfil this prophecy, right to the end. It is what the gods want. I suppose Catherine would agree with me.”

The woman had been silent during this exchange, but she nodded at the king’s words. She looked behind Lionel towards the bundle in Lillian’s arms.

“We received word that your child is kissed by Lupus. We wish to verify this.” She said.

Lionel nodded at her words, turning to his wife and taking the baby from her arms. By now, the sun had begun to set, and darkness had begun to descend. Torch bearers lit the braziers surrounding the altar, which gave some warmth against the chill of the night. He lay the baby gently upon the altar and began unwrapping the child as he began to speak.

“She was born in the morning, and at dusk the mark appeared on her skin. Just as they say in the stories.” He showed the rune upon her skin to Catherine, who placed her hand upon the child and began to whisper in a language Lionel could not understand. Lionel stepped back from the altar as a force pushed against him. For a few moments, the ground seemed to tremble under their feet before coming to rest again.

“She is kissed by Lupus, just as yours is kissed by Rao.” She confirmed. Zor-El nodded at her words. He came forward and lay his child down upon the altar too.

“And so, the sun shall catch the moon, and the moon shall catch the sun.” he said, his voice wistful and tired. The larger man looked at Lionel who had once again come to stand next to the altar.

“The last part of this treaty will end this cycle between our kingdoms. The sun of my kingdom, Kara Zor-El, will marry the moon of your kingdom, Lena Morgana Luthor. And so, the sun shall catch the moon, and the moon shall catch the sun, as it was when Rao and Lupus came down upon Morok-zol.”

It was then that Lionel realised what the prophecy really meant. It did not mean to sacrifice the lives of either king upon the alter, or even kill their children upon the sacred ground. The god’s wanted a reflection of themselves upon the earth, even if it was for a human lifetime. In wonderment, he looked up at the night sky that had slowly begun to rise in the east. When he looked to the left, the sun was starting to dip below the horizon. How fitting that both the moon and the sun would be in the sky together on this night. He smiled, shaking his head in disbelief.

“The god’s have such unusual plans for us, do they not?” he murmured, looking down at the children cooing gently on the altar. Zor-El lifted his shoulders once more.

“In this case, perhaps their ideas are not so bad.” He replied. At his words, Kara reached clumsily for the other baby next to her, finally gaining a grip on Lena’s hand, and promptly falling asleep. Zor-El gave a rumbling chuckle at the sight. “Look, they like each other already.”

“And what will happen when they get their soul marks?” asked Lionel, watching as his daughter yawned quietly and her eyes began to droop. Instead of Zor-El replying, Catherine smiled knowingly.

“The gods do not make mistakes, Lionel of the north.” She said, and there was a sureness to her voice, as if she knew something he did not. He sighed. He did not trust this woman, but her words bought some comfort to him. He nodded and dipped the quill into the inkpot, signing his name upon the treaty. Along with his name, he dropped wax onto the parchment, and pressed his seal upon it. By the time he finished, Zor-El had already opened a wound upon his hand and drops of blood hit the treaty and the altar. Lionel too opened a wound upon his hand, and dripped blood upon the contract and the alter, before he clasped the hand offered to him.

“So it is by ink and blood.” They echoed each other, and Zor-El kept their hands clasped together.

“In 18 summers, I will send word to the north that we are ready, and the courtship trials can begin. Until then, goodbye, and peace be to you.” The blond man released his hand, and scooped up his baby from the altar, careful not to jostle Lena at all. Kara’s face scrunched up as they were separated, and the baby let out a piercing wail into the night sky. He shushed her gently, an odd sight for a man of his stature and build, before tucking her back into the sling.

The man mounted his horse, giving the signal to his retinue, which mounted up themselves. He said nothing else, merely raised his wounded hand in farewell, before spurring his horse around and thundering off into the night.

* * *

 

**_18 summers later_ **

The sun shone brightly above their heads, and the wind carried with it the scent of blooming flowers and warmth, and the ocean, as it was accustomed to on the fine summer day. The entourage of horses and carriages along with an assortment of soldiers and nobles made their way across the grassy plains towards the Sun Palace. At the head was the royal guard, along with Lionel Luthor and his wife, Lillian Luthor.

Behind them, three horses followed closely behind. Upon a dark horse rode a young man, perhaps in his early twenties, his features sharp and angular like those of Lionel Luthor himself. Like the king of the north, this boy was bald, and he too wore a cape made from the skin of a wolf, signifying his royal bloodline. Next to him, riding a spotted horse in the middle of the trio, was a tall, blonde woman. she wore armour made of leather, and she had two daggers strapped to either thigh. Her hair was short, and her eyes were all knowing. She wore no saddle and thin boots upon her feet, and the horse she was on hand no reigns. On the third horse, which was just as black as the first, sat a young woman, only 18 summers old. Her hair was the colour of coal, and her skin was pale and white like the snow. She looked nothing like her parents, who rode ahead of her, as she was kissed by the god Lupus. Her lips were already rosy, but servants earlier that morning had painted over them, making them a ruby colour. Her eyes were a shade of many greens, and they glittered in the afternoon sun.

“Lena, I can’t believe father has allowed this. The southerners… they are barbarians!” said the young man, his voice scandalised as he glared at the backs of Lionel and Lillian Luthor. The blonde woman next to him snorted in amusement at his words. “What are you laughing at, Catherine?” he snapped, and she gave a chuckle as she replied.

The witch had volunteered to be the messenger to send word to the north that Kara had reached her eighteenth summer and was ready to undertake the trials. She had spent much of her time with the princess of the south for the eighteen cycles since that fateful day in Morok-zol, and now they were travelling back to the sacred grounds, so that Kara and Lena could meet again.

“The people of the south are hardly savages, Lex. They follow the traditions of Rao, as your people follow the traditions of Lupus. The courtship ritual is but one of them.”

“What is this ritual, exactly?” Lena Luthor asked, her voice quiet. The blonde woman next to her smiled at the question.

“Those in the south worship Rao as their primary god, while in the north they worship Lupus as their primary god. During the courtship trials, they try to emulate the story of Rao and Lupus when they came upon Morok-zol. It is oddly complementary in this case, I suppose. You will emulate Lupus, and she will attempt to emulate Rao. If it doesn’t kill her, that is.” The woman chuckled at her words. Lena cast the blond a questioning look.

“Have you never heard the story of the courtship of Rao and Lupus?” she asked, and Lena shook her head.  The older woman seemed mildly offended by the fact, shifting in her saddle as her horse navigated the path ahead. At her movement, the horse whinnied in complaint, huffing as he trudged forward. She could not blame him, she had ridden him from the south all the way to the north, and now they were going south again. The journey had made them both tired and aggravated. She stroked the beast’s fur as she ordered the story in her head.

“In the beginning, Rao and Lupus came upon the earth. Their impact was so strong that it changed the landscape, and so mountains rose, and oceans and waterways formed. The burning heat of Rao and the chill of Lupus also mixed together, and from that mixing came the beasts of the earth and sea, and the sky. 

As soon as Rao set his eyes upon Lupus, he loved her. He tried to mate her, then and there at Morok-zol, and Lupus almost killed him in his attempt. Rao cried heavily at her rejection of him, and from the blood he had spilled and tears mixing together, the many plants you see around you were born. While Lupus did reject him, she did not leave him, and so Rao asked what he could do so that she could love him and bear his children. Lupus told him to bring her the gifts of the earth, so that she could build her den and a home, and then she would carry his pups.

The earth was new at that time, and Rao had yet to explore it. They had both been weakened from their fall to the earth, but still Rao set off alone and without weapons to bring the gifts Lupus had asked of him.

In the first week, Rao bought lupus a fat buck, a boar, and a wild goose so that she could eat and be strong. Pleased by these gifts, Lupus allowed Rao into the den she had chosen, but she still did not allow him to mate her. And so, Rao set off once more to find other gifts.

A week passed, and Rao returned with the skin of a bear, so that Lupus would have something soft and warm to lay on while they slept. Pleased by this gift, Lupus washed the blood from his body and allowed Rao to sleep on the bear skin with her, but she still did not allow him to mate her.

This pattern continued for a time. Rao bought back the best wood he could find and set it ablaze to keep Lupus warm forever. This became the sun in the sky. In return, Lupus gave set in the sky a great stone- the moon. So that Rao would be able to rest from the heat of the sun. Still, Lupus did not mate him. Rao set out once more, a bought back the skin of a wolf for Lupus to cover herself with. The wolf is now the principal symbol of Lupus herself. Still she did not mate him. He left again and bought back shining jewels from the high cliffs that gave Lupus light in the dark. She was impressed by all these gifts, and yet she still refused to mate him. After that, Rao caught Lupus a fine horse for her to ride, so that she could travel the land just as he did, and not grow weary. Still, she did not mate him.

Soon, Lupus felt a stirring in her belly, and she knew her first heat would soon be upon her. It was then that the great demon from below the earth noticed Lupus and wanted her for himself. Despite his lust for her, he feared Rao, and so he set out demonic beasts to attack the pair, in the hope Rao would die. He attacked day or night for three days, and barely rested. In the end he could not best Rao, whose light repelled even the darkest shadows, and so he shrunk back into the earth. It was only then that Lupus had allowed Rao to mate her. They mated under the stars, and the bear skin became their marital bed, and from their courtship we humans were born- and they loved us dearly.

But the demon below the earth hated us, and so he cursed each of us by being either an alpha or an omega. Rao and Lupus could not take the curse away from us, so instead they gave each of us a soul mark, so that each alpha could have their own omega, and vice a versa.”

Lex snorted at the end of her story. He shook his head in disbelief at what the older witch was telling him. These were stories that they told children before they had put them to sleep in their beds. He did not think grown men so stupid to put stock in those stories anymore. Surely his father was not so stupid to believe in them, either? As if sensing his thoughts, Catherine’s eyes narrowed as she gazed at the man. An ugly look twisted her face, and she opened her mouth as if to snap at him before Lena interrupted them both.

“Is that the Sun Palace?” she said, suddenly. And sure enough, the tall spires of the castle had become visible across the great plain. It stood in stark contrast to the surrounding wilderness, the tall towers shone brilliantly in the late afternoon sun. the walls were made of a lighter stone, so different from her home, which was built of dark stone and low parapets. It was built on the edge of a sheer cliff, which dropped straight into the ocean behind it. Lena could hear the faint sound of waves crashing against the shore. To the east, the great southern forest stretched as far as her eye could see, until at last the mountains rose up behind them.

“It’s… beautiful. Is the city usually this populous? I don’t think I have seen so many people in one place before.” Lena stared on in wonderment. Outside the walls of the city, a sea of tents and camps had begun to take shape.

“The people you see are from the different clans of the south. I am sure in your teachings you have learned that while many major houses of the south stay in one place, many others are nomadic. What you see here is a collection of many clans that have come to witness this marriage from the far stretches of the south. They will camp here for now, but then they shall follow you to Morrok-zol. The city itself is immense, you will see soon enough.”

In front of them, her father turned in his saddle, looking back and meeting Lena’s eyes. He nodded once, reassuringly, and turned back to continue the march. Her mother reached over to him, sensing his distress, and ran a comforting hand across his shoulder and down his arm. Lena did her best to swallow the bitterness that rose in her throat at the sight. Her father and her mother shared the same soul mark, a privilege Lena herself would not have upon marrying the princess of the south. When she had first received hers at the age of sixteen, her mother had to sit her down and explain to her that she may never meet the other person with the same mark, and that she had been promised to another. Lena had cried for days following her mother’s confession, feeling betrayed by her own parents.

“That is the Sun Palace. The people here call it Rao-nin, or the place where Rao resides.” Catherine said, nodding her head at the landmark in the distance. She turned slightly to give Lex a piercing look.

“These people are not stupid. Watch how you speak to them. Royal or not, they will not hesitate to cut off your fingers for one of your little snide remarks.” She warned, and at that she dug her heels into her horse’s flank, spurring him forward and leaving the youths on their own. Lex snorted derisively at her words.

“These people are barbarians,” he seethed “I doubt they can even understand the words I say.”

Lena did not reply.

They continued onwards, and after a short while a group of riders could be seen thundering towards them. As they drew closer, Lena could see the tassels that decorated the bridles and saddles of the riders, and the southerners raised up in their stirrups and yelled their greetings as the front guard seemed to close in around the king and queen of the north. One female voice rose up above the others.

“Hail, King of the North. I am Astra, of the house of El. Greetings, from one great house to another.”

Lena was fascinated. The woman spoke with a slight accent, and unlike the women in the south, she had tattoos that ran all the way up one of her arms. She wore armour, too- it seemed to be a combination of both leather and plates of metal strategically placed, and a short sword hung on her hip.

The riders fell into step beside them, escorting the party to the encampment laid out before the tall walls of the Rao-nin. Now Lena could see that the horses they rode were easily four hands larger than the ones they were riding. Each of the southerners had their own tattoos that adorned different parts of their body, and they too had different tassels that decorated their weapons or their horses. Each one had their soul marks exposed, each one a vibrant blue against their skin. Even the females held weapons, and they seemed tall and strong like their male counterparts. Lena shivered slightly as she saw them.

_Are they like the woman I am supposed to be marrying?_

The late afternoon sun beat down stronger than ever as the drumming grew louder. Astra slipped easily next to Lionel, and Lena could see them conversing pleasantly before the bald man gestured behind him, directly at Lena. Both riders turned to look at her, and Lena straightened under their examination. Astra nodded once before straightening in her saddle. While she had turned, Lena could tell that the woman was paying very close attention to her.

Two riders had pulled up on either side of the two youths, and the male on her left seemed particularly interested in her. He smiled toothily at her when she caught his eyes and stood up on his saddle to chatter something to the rider on the other side of Lex in a language Lena could not understand. As the spoke to each other, Lena noticed the matching soul marks on their necks, in the exact same place. The female next to Lex replied quickly, laughing, and shaking her head at her bond-mate. Lex stiffened next to her.

“What are they saying?” he hissed, and one of his hands gripped the bridle tightly while the other wrapped his hand around the sword on his waist.

“Greetings, young ones.” A voice interrupted them. Astra had expertly manoeuvred herself next to Lena, and she leaned casually against the front of her saddle as she winked lazily at Lex.

“This is Jacob, and his wife Elissa. Jacob is just saying that Kara will like you.” She directed her words to Lena.

“Again, my name is Astra. I am Kara’s aunt. I must say that Jacob may be right, I do think Kara will like you. I know these words may be useless but try not to be nervous. My niece is kind, if not a bit stubborn. Give her a chance, you may end up liking each other.” She smiled encouragingly at Lena, who nodded in response.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Astra. Thank you for your kind words.”

The older woman leaned even further in her saddle, displaying an outstanding level of balance as she looked around Lena to direct her next words at Lex.

“Young man, I suggest you take your hand off your sword. Elissa would kill you before you had the chance to draw it, and you are lucky, because she is kind.” She said the words in a chirpy, conversational tone despite the threat, a smile still on her face. For a moment, her expression turned serious as she barked an order at the two riders, who spurred their horses forward toward the camp. At her warning, Lex swallowed and released his grip on his sword. She nodded approvingly at his choice. The older woman turned back to Lena.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, young lady. We will see more of each other in the coming days, I hope a familiar face will bring you some comfort.” She offered a genuine smile at this, and before Lena could reply she had urged her horse into a gallop and peeled away from them.

By the time they had finished talking, two other retinues of horse riders had joined the group and had formed a line on either side of the procession by the time they came upon the great gate of Rao-nin. In a language Lena could not understand, the horse riders discouraged the people from crowding too close to the procession. Despite the line of horsemen obscuring her view, she could still see the curious faces peering back at her. The people here were so different to those in the north, they dressed in such colourful clothing, and their hair shone like the sun. Many of them wore tattoos in some way or another, and each person’s soul mark could be seen easily. As they made their way through the entrance, Lena could hear the murmuring of the crowd grow louder and louder, and soon the people cheered and clapped as she passed.

It was now that Lena could see why they had lost the war so many years ago.  The walls of the city were at least one hundred metres tall and built out of solid stone. The riders gestured up at the top of the walls, one of them waving a purple flag in a pattern, before the first gate opened before them. Now Lena could see that not only was the wall tall, it was many metres deep. The great gate opened into twenty different gates, some made of stone and other made of heavy timber. Lena watched in wonderment as each one opened for them, one after the other. Above them, perhaps twenty-five metres up on either side, soldiers armed with crossbows looked down at those entering. One side of the city was unscalable by land or sea, due to its location upon the edge of the cliff face, while the other three sides were impenetrable due to their height and strength. Thirty siege engines could operate for years and not come close to breaching the walls. The only possible entry into the city would be through one of the three gates, which would mean breaching twenty different doorways while archers from above rained arrows down upon you and being funnelled into a certain amount of space before emerging on the other side.

Catherine grant looked back at them as the last of the gates opened.

“Not bad for a horde of ‘barbarians’, now is it?” she said, laughing at their look of wonderment.

They had arrived at Rao-nin.

* * *

 

The four royals were taken to the western side of the palace, overlooking the sea. Servants had taken their horses, and had their belongings taken up into their rooms. Lena herself had been taken to a room separate to both Lex and her parent’s, but she could not find it in her to complain. Her brother’s constant complaints and her parent’s silence towards her had begun to grate on her nerves, and she was tired from their journey from the north. She only wanted to eat and rest to be ready to face what tomorrow would bring.

Their hosts must have had the same idea as her- there was no sign of them when they had arrived, and perhaps they had chosen to let their visitors rest before they further fatigued them. In her room, a large, soft looking bed sat in the centre upon a woven rug. A large dresser sat up against the wall, the mirror polished to perfection. On the table in front of it, there lay a large array of silver and jewelled combs and brushes, lip colours and powders, and scents for the skin. Lena picked up a brush with a golden handle, an emerald stone set into the base. She looked at it in wonderment. She startled when there was a loud knock on the door. The brush clattered back down onto the dresser.

Pulling the door open, Lena came face to face with a servant girl who was bowed at the waist. On her hip, she held a basket filled with salts and soaps. Her hair was a dark red, and she was perhaps the same height as Lena and thin like many of the women in the south.

“Good evening, your highness. My name is Alex, I have been sent to help you with your bathing tonight while your meal is prepared.” Lena stiffened at the girl’s words. She was perfectly capable of bathing herself- she did not need the help of a servant girl.

“I think I am able to bath myself, Alex. But thank you for your offer. Perhaps if you leave the salts here, I will take care of the rest.” The pale woman said. Alex remained bowed at the waist, silent for a few moments.

“Respectfully, your highness, the baths here are different to those in the south. I have been told that you cannot swim and have been ordered by the queen herself to help you bathe today.” At this, the red-haired woman finally straightened, her voice unsure but still insistent.

“I see,” Lena said, and she opened the door wider. “come and do what you must then.” Alex nodded and slipped silently into the room. She set down the basket of salts and scents near the door.

“I will help you take down your hair, your highness, and then take you to the royal bath.” Lena nodded hesitantly as she sat down before her dresser. With deft fingers, Alex made quick work of the braid in Lena’s hair before leading the paler woman out of the room and down the hall. They walked for a short while before coming upon a set of heavy timber double doors. As they swung open, Lena could only gape at what she saw.

In the north, the cool weather prevented one from bathing in anything larger than a copper bath. But here, a large pool of crystal clear water had been built into the floor. The entire room was tiled with a number of mosaics that spanned the entire floor and up the walls. The images flickered in the light of the torches. Despite the light the fire offered, the baths were still quite dim. Lena thought the baths would be empty, however now she could see that there were several servants tending to two older women on the opposite side of the room. The light was so dim that Lena could not make out the either of the women’s features.

“Who is that?” whispered Lena, her voice a quiet question under the sounds of splashing water and girls giggling on the opposite side of the room. Alex shot a quick look over to the corner of the room before answering.

“That is the Queen Alura, and her sister, Astra.” At her words, Lena’s throat tightened with nervousness. As if sensing eyes upon them, one of the women turned and looked directly at Lena. Lena averted her eyes.

On the opposite side of the entrance to the bath, there was no wall- instead the room remained open to a large balcony that overlooked the cliffs and the sea. The stars glittered in the night sky and reflected off the glassy surface of the ocean before her. She watched as Alex made her way over to a smaller pool to the left of the main, large pool, dutifully filling the pool of steaming water with a bag of purple salts, before adding a generous amount of oil into the path. Soon, the steaming room began to smell of lavender and fruits. To finish, Alex spread a small basket of flower petals into the water. She bowed her head at Lena, as she spread her hand towards the bath.

“Your bath is ready, your highness. I will help you bath here, and then you shall move onto the mineral pool, to relax.” Lena nodded at this, stepping out from the riding breeches that she wore and the travelling vest that she had used that day. She winced as she stripped the pants from her body. She was not accustomed to such long journeys, and the ride had chaffed the inside of her thighs and her legs ached from the exertion. And to think, she would have to ride again soon to Morok-zol. She groaned internally at the thought. She balanced herself using Alex’s hand as she stepped down into the bath. Her muscles slackened as she soaked in the warm water. Unintentionally, her eyes fluttered closed and she sighed softly as Alex pulled soaps and oils from her basket. Lena folded her arms on the edge of the tub and rested her head on them. The pool was so deep that her toes barely touched the bottom. She cracked an eye open to look at Alex, noticing for the first time the swirls of blue on her neck- her soul mark. For some odd reason, it seemed familiar- as if she had seen it before. It was not like her own.

“what were those things that you put in the bath? And these things here?” she asked, gesturing towards the assortment of soaps and an odd little ball that Alex was dipping into the water.

“I added some lavender infused salt to the water, and some Ilidian oil.” Lena did not know what Ilidian oil was, but it smelled lovely, like many fruits. Alex picked up a few jars and set them close to her knees.

“In the south, we use different soaps one after the other to cleanse the skin. We use a sponge coral to apply these soaps that we harvest from the sea and dry them out. Would you like to feel it?” Alex offered the yellow ball to her. As Lena squeezed it in her hand, she realised that it was soft, but highly porous. She handed it back to Alex.

“we begin by using this vanilla soap here. It lifts the grit from your skin.” She explained, dipping her sponge into the jar of soap. She set to work running the sponge across the planes of Lena’s arms and legs, down her stomach and across her breasts. She did not linger in any odd places and was clinical but thorough as she explained while she worked. Lena supposed this was not an odd job for her.

“next we use this scrub here. It is made from the same salt I put in the water, but this time it is mixed with a soap made of coconut and goat’s milk. It scrubs away the dead skin and leaves your skin ready for the last soap.” Alex placed her sponge down as she dipped her hand into the second jar, bringing out a thick lavender coloured past that she set to work scrubbing her body down with. When she had finished, she gently poured clean water over Lena’s shoulders, who closed her eyes at the sensation.

“The last soap we use softens the skin. It is made from goats milk, yoghurt, and plants such as aloe vera and peppermint, and olive oil, and honey.” She picked up her sponge again as she drew out thick globs of the last paste. And lathed it thickly onto Lena’s skin. It was cool and contrasted with the warmth of the bath water. The dark-haired woman shivered pleasantly at the sensation. Alex left the gel on her skin and poured a generous helping of a bottle into her hands.

“we use a very dilute goat milk soap to clean the hair, we infuse it was rosemary for scent.” She massaged it into Lena’s scalp gently and was careful to keep it out of her eyes when she rinsed it out.  

“Lastly, we use a blend of oils to soften the hair. We do not rinse it out. Your bath is complete, your highness. You are welcome to move on to the mineral bath now, once you are ready.”

Lena nodded as she clambered out of the bath. Alex poured water over shoulders one last time. Her thighs were so sore now that the grit of the journey had been washed off. She felt as if she was unsteady on her feet. She wobbled slightly as Alex grabbed her arm to steady her. A familiar voice from behind Alex interrupted them.

“Alex, go and get some cooling salve from Winn. The girl’s legs are rubbed raw from riding for so long. Make sure to let him know, he will make some more for her.” Lena looked up to see Astra standing naked behind the red headed servant girl. She covered herself best she could with her arms. Alex hesitated for a moment, opening her mouth as if to say something. Astra stopped her before she could utter a word.

“Alex,” she said firmly, something else in her gaze. “I will take care of the rest, until you come back.” Alex nodded obediently at this, bowing at Lena before leaving. Now Lena was left alone with Astra.

“Come, child. And there is no need to cover yourself so. I may be an alpha, but I am already claimed. You have nothing to fear from me.” The taller woman gestured to a bite mark on her neck, and her eyes widened when Lena realised why Alex’s mark seemed so familiar to her. It matched with Astra’s. Lena nodded timidly at the older woman who had already stepped into the large pool into the centre of the room.

“Mind your footing. The bath is shallow up to a certain point before it drops off suddenly. I know you cannot swim. Do not fear, I will be near if you do happen to slip. My sister or niece would not be happy with me if I let you drown.” She chuckled at her words, dipping underneath the water and smoothing her long hair back. Another, more feminine and melodic followed. With a start, Lena remembered that they were not alone, but the queen herself was in the bath with then. The other woman gently pushed her sister chidingly on the shoulder at her words.

“Now Astra, I would not be happy if you happened to let anyone drown, but in particular my future daughter-in-law.” Queen Alura winked at Lena. She was very much like her sister Astra, if not shorter and more delicate looking. They both had kind eyes, and red tinted brunette hair. Unlike her sister, the queen had no tattoos on her skin, only the soul mark on her neck.

“Y-your majesty.” Said Lena, and she made to curtsy, at the edge of the pool. Alura raised her hand to stop her.

“Now, none of that, young one.” She said, with a kind smile on her face. “We must get to know each other, yes? I would not be surprised if you had questions.” Her voice held more of an accent that her sister. It immediately put Lena at ease. She did not know what she had expected when she had come here- perhaps barbarians like her brother had always said, but she had not expected this warmth, and kindness. It gave her great comfort to realise these people were nothing like the stories her brother told, or how the soldiers spoke of them. They were different- yes, that much was true. But not in a bad way. Lena nodded at the older woman in front of her, and if it was possible the woman’s smile grew ever kinder, crinkling the eyes. She seemed genuinely happy.

“Well, come on then. Come and give your muscles a soak. The water in this pool is from a hot spring deep underneath the castle. It is filled with good salts and is always the perfect temperature.”

And they did talk- for an hour. Lena enjoyed it- the queen was very thoughtful and considered her answers carefully before replying, and she seemed genuinely interested in the questions she asked Lena. Astra for the most part swum circles around the pair as they talked, even though Lena was sitting in the shallowest part of the pool. Sometime later, Alex returned, not only with a jar of salve, but also with two servants who carried trays of food which they set down on the edge of the pool. Astra dismissed the servants from the room, and they bowed obediently before taking their leave. Alex was the only one who remained, and she stripped down and came to a standing position next to Lena in the water, who was sitting down. For more than an hour, the pair talked and ate. Some things on the platter were things that Lena had never seen before- and Alura took pleasure in explaining what they were and where they came from. Every so often, Astra would float by, snagging something small and trying to sneak it to Alex, who diligently ignored her. They spoke of many things- ranging from what Lena did during her days in the castle back home and what she had seen in the city that she liked. She did not broach the subject of the wedding, however, and it seemed that the queen herself was avoiding the topic.

A movement in the corner of her eye caught the raven-haired woman’s attention. Lena watched as Astra cast a predatory look at the red head next to her, before dipping under water. Alex, who had been paying close attention to Lena was none the wiser, until a hand shot out from the water, pulling the poor girl into the deeper water. She spluttered like a wet cat, hissing at her captor, who only chuckled at her efforts. Alura rolled her eyes at her sister’s antics.

Without a word, the queen heaved herself up onto the edge of the pool as Alex clambered up behind her. She stepped out of the pool as Alex came back to her position next to Lena. Unashamed of her nakedness, the queen took a white towel from a pile that sat on the edge of the pool and set about drying herself off. She cocked a head at Lena and gestured toward a seat. Astra herself had clambered out of the pool, and she was drying herself off as well.

“Come, child. Let me have a look at your legs. I heard my sister earlier, let me see if the salve will be enough to help you.” Lena hesitated for only a moment. Before she too stepped up out of the pool and set herself down upon the stone seat. The queen kneeled before her, holding the jar of salve, and Alex stepped forward at the sight. Lena made to get up as the queen kneeled before she was gently pushed back as the queen rolled her eyes.

“Your Majesty, I can do that, please do not tax yourself so.” The queen rolled her eyes at Lena’s words.

“Hush, child. I was the best healer in this kingdom before I married my husband. People forget that these days. It is a pleasure to be able to practice my craft, in whatever small way I can.” She said and turned to Alex.

“Please let Winn know that he will need to make a tincture tomorrow of colloidal silver and add aloe plant to the salve. This salve will do for tonight; however, I do not want a blister forming.” She said, and Alex nodded at her words. Quickly, she dried herself off before exiting the room once more. Alura chuckled and shook her head in amusement.

“Silly girl,” she said with an affectionate smile on her face, “she was supposed to take you back to your room, she forgets herself sometimes in her desire to please.” The older woman scooped some salve onto her fingers, diligently lathing the inside of Lena’s thighs with a thick coat of the paste. It instantly had a cooling effect on the inside of her thighs, and Lena sighed in appreciation as the queen only smiled in amusement. Despite her state of undress, Lena was unusually relaxed. Alura worked quickly with sure hands- hands that knew what they were doing.

“Your mate is a cute one, sister.” The queen said conversationally, referring to Alex and turning to Astra, who had busied herself by eating whatever was left on the trays. Alura begun wrapping strips of soft fabric around Lena’s thighs, keeping the salve in place. Astra smiled toothily at her words.

“I know, that’s why I like her.” She said jokingly, and Alura chuckled at her words. With deft, well-practiced hands, the queen had salved and bandaged her legs very quickly. She patted Lena’s thigh gently and gripped her hands as they both stood. She squeezed Lena’s hands tightly for a moment.

“I will have a servant bring you some more salve and a tincture tomorrow, your thighs should heal in day or two.” Lena thanked her quietly. She dried off, just as the others had done, and slipped a dry sleeping gown over her head. It was whisper thin and light, it felt as if Lena was wearing nothing at all. The queen did the same, but Astra instead slipped on a pair of loose sleeping breeches and a white, loose fitting shirt. Alura offered her hand to Lena when she was done dressing.

“Come, little one. It is getting late. I will take you back to your room, you must be weary after such a long journey.” Lena took her hand and they padded quietly out of the bathing room. Astra bid farewell to them both before taking off in the opposite direction. The halls of the castle were empty, and very quiet, and moonlight streamed in through windows to illuminate ornate hallways.

 For a few moments, the queen was silent as they walked together. She seemed to be deep in thought until they came to a stop outside of Lena’s bedroom. The older woman turned, gently cupping Lena’s face in her hands. The gesture moved Lena’s dark hair out of the way of her neck, and for a split second, the older woman’s eyes flicked down to the soul mark on Lena’s neck. If Lena had blinked, she would have missed the action- and even though she hadn’t blinked at all it was so quick that Lena was not sure that she had even seen it at all. The queen smiled warmly at her. Nothing in her contenance had changed to indicate that she had seen anything significant, and so Lena relaxed in the older woman’s grip.  

“Now tomorrow, you will meet my husband and my daughter. I don’t want you to be nervous, they are very friendly. I like you Lena, in time I want you to see us as family, and we will see you as family as well.” Lena nodded at her words.

“I know our southern customs are very different to those in the north. I am sure Cat has explained some things to you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask us- especially if they frighten you. I will leave you alone for the evening.”

“Thank you for your hospitality, your majesty.” Lena said, curtseying. Before she could even stoop down, the queen had stopped her, instead pulling her into a tight hug.

“Goodnight, Lena. Thank you for your company tonight. I will see you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, your majesty.” With that, the queen swept down the hallway, leaving Lena alone for the evening.

As she lay down in the bed that evening, despite the circumstances, she had never felt so at ease. She drew the blankets over her hips. A soft breeze whispered over her form, cooled by the ocean. When she closed her eyes, she could faintly hear the water as it crashed against the cliffs below.

Yes- perhaps it would not be so bad to live with these people or marry their daughter. For the first time since she had received her soul mark, she thought perhaps that it would not matter so much that she found the person who had the same mark as her. These people did not seem like the barbarians in the stories her brother had told her. They seemed kind, and fair. Her parents had never mentioned them, only told her that she was promised to marry, and that was that. Her father had referenced the war, only in passing, and only when he had had a few cups of wine during the nights they had spent playing chess in his study. Maybe she could see these people as they really were. For now, as she lay in the soft bed- she did not need to worry about what the next day would bring, or what would happen in Morok-zol. For now she was warm, and clean, and comfortable…

Before she could think about it any further, the soft breeze of Rao-nin swept her away like a piece of parchment into a deep, deep sleep.   

* * *

 


	2. There Are Many Ways to Pass a Test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thankyou for the response for the last chapter- it makes me so happy to know that you enjoy my work. English is not my first language, and I feel like with your responses I have been able to articulate myself that way I wanted, which can be very hard for me sometimes.

The mornings in the south were not so different from those in the north. Slowly, the sounds of birds as they called to each other above the water, and the shining sun penetrated Lena’s dreamless sleep. Languidly, her back arched a she sighed in a deep stretch. She had never slept so deeply before- perhaps it had been the long journey, or the soft bed. Looking around her room, which was now bathed in the light of the sun instead of torches, Lena could now see the luxuries that she could not see the previous night. On the wall opposite the bed, a large tapestry hung above a fireplace. On either side, stone carvings of a lion’s head were mounted on the wall. In front of the fireplace, there was a small table surrounded by three comfortable looking lounges. The curtains leading out onto the balcony fluttered gently on the breeze. Tempted, Lena slipped out of bed, and she was surprised at the apparent coolness of the stone underfoot. She padded out onto the balcony, smiling as she saw the view laid out before her.

Looking over the edge, the cliff face dropped straight down below her. Lena felt that if she stared to long she might become sick at how high they were. The water stretched out into an infinity, and it shimmered in the golden dawn. The skies were cloudless, and just like the ocean below, it stretched out forever in blue. Now she could see why she had heard birds this morning- birds of many colours swirled in great dervishes along the cliff face, below her and above her. She had never seen so many birds in one place. They darted back and forth, over and under each other as they sung.

“It is amazing, isn’t it?”

Lena nearly jumped out of her skin at the voice. Her father chuckled on the balcony next to her. He held a glass in his hand, filled with water. Lena relaxed when she realized who it was.

“Good morning, father. You startled me. And yes, I’ve never seen anything like it before.” He nodded at her words.

“There is something like this on the northern coast. I never got the chance to take you there, but there is still time for us to see it one day.” He said, and his lips turned up in a sad smile as he stared out in front of him. His tone was so wistful, and sad- it sounded as if he was saying goodbye.

“Father, I am not dying, or leaving you forever. Stop speaking like I am.” She replied.

“I know,” he said. “but you will not be my little girl for much longer.” He cleared his voice, and Lena had never seen him so sad before. She had seen him angry, and drunk, and happy, but never so sad. Even when his brother had finally passed away, he had never seemed so close to tears. Reaching out and closing the gap between them, Lena gripped his arm. He covered her hand with his own, warm like the sun beaming down on them.

“I wanted to apologise for the way I have been treating you the past month. I know it appears I have been ignoring you. I have just been lost in my own thoughts, and your mother has been trying to tend to me.” He said, and Lena nodded at his words. She was not surprised- he did have a habit of keeping to himself once something upset him.

“The last time I was here, I was on the other side of that wall. It has been such a long time, but I feel as though I am only now understanding why we lost the war. I am almost… glad.” He said and finished the cup of water in his hand. Sighing, he set it down on the edge of the balcony.

“what of you? Are you excited about today? We will be having breakfast with them this morning, and the ritual begins tonight.” She froze for a moment at his words. What did he mean, she would be meeting Kara this morning? The ritual would be beginning tonight? The calm that had pervaded the morning suddenly left her, and a mild panic had taken its place.

“What is happening tonight?” she asked, and he shook his head.

“I am unsure. The common people only do bits and pieces of the ritual, but the royal family does all of it. I have no idea what they do to initiate it, I am hoping to get an explanation this morning.” Her father rubbed a hand over his tired eyes.

“I am also hoping your brother does not cause too much trouble.”

Before Lena could reply, a knock from inside the room interrupted them. Her father raised a hand in goodbye as he disappeared inside his own room as Lena tended to whoever was at her door. When she opened it, she was pleasantly surprised to see Alex who was holding her basket of goods, along with two male servants holding a wide bowl filled with steaming water.

“Good morning, your highness. I am here to help you complete your morning ablutions.” She said, much like yesterday. Lena nodded at her words and opened the door wider to let them in. Quickly, the two male servants lifted the heavy bowl into a metal stand in the corner of the room. They turned, bowed deeply and left as quickly as they had come. Alex shut the door behind them.

“Good morning, Alex. Did you sleep well?” Lena asked, and Alex smiled slightly as she sat the raven hair woman down in front of the dresser.

“I slept well, your highness. What of you? I have been told that if you sleep well on your first night in a new place it is a good omen.” The red-haired woman dipped a wash cloth into the bowel of water, and gently ran the cloth down Lena’s neck.

“I have never slept so well in my life.” She replied, truthfully. Alex hummed in response. She lifted the sleeping gown over her head.

“I am glad.” She said, gently wiping down Lena’s face. Lena had never been tended to like this before- she found it an odd experience. Alex watched patiently as Lena brushed her teeth. Alex took out a jaw of salve and a bottle of tincture and got to work quickly stripping the bandages from Lena’s thighs and using the wash cloth to wipe away any leftover salve from the previous night. Lena could see that the salve had worked immensely well, and much of the swelling and pain had subsided, though the skin was still red. Alex warmed the tincture in her hand before spreading a thin coat along her skin, and covering it was a layer of salve and re bandaging her thighs.

“Are all the royals tended to like this in the morning?” asked Lena, and Alex shook her head.

“No, your highness. It is customary that your bond mate does this every morning, once you meet each other. If one does not have a bond mate, one of the parents tends to them. No one tends to the King and Queen in the morning, they tend to each other, and I believe the queen is with Kara this morning.” Alex set the washcloth down, picking up a brush and setting about smoothing the hair of the pale woman in front of her. Lena was shocked at this, and it must have showed, because Alex laughed at her next question.

“He does her hair?” She said. And Alex nodded merrily.

“He learned, eventually. I am not supposed to say- but he can do so many hairstyles now, he is so proud!” she giggled, and Lena could not help but laugh along with her. With sure fingers, Lena watched as Alex deftly braided parts of her hair before pulling them back, so that while Lena’s hair was down, it would not be in her face.

“It seems very… intimate.” Said Lena, after thinking on it for a moment.” Alex hummed in agreement once again. Curious, but hesitant Lena kept a careful tone when she asked her next question.

“I apologise if I am being too forward, but does that mean you tend to Astra?” Alex smiled at her in the reflection of the mirror.

“you are not being too forward, your highness. It is normal for you to have so many questions. It is better that you ask me rather than somebody else, not that Astra would care either way.” She rolled her eyes at the thought of her bond mate, but a smile still played on her lips. Lena could not help but smile along with her.

“That woman has it so easy in the mornings, I swear. All she really must do is brush my hair, I must brush hers, you know? And style it! And she has let it grow so long!” her voice had risen as she had begun to complain, and she cast Lena a contrite look.

“Sorry, your highness. I am sure you didn’t need to know that. To answer your original question, yes, we tend to each other in the mornings.” Lena gave a warm laugh in return.

“Do not apologise, Alex. I enjoy hearing about it. I feel like I am learning new things all the time here.” Alex smiled hesitantly but nodded her head. She pinned Lena’s hair in place, and next she grabbed tiny emerald crystal flowers from the dresser, threading just a few through her hair. Lena had rarely ever worn her hair down, but looking into the mirror now, she liked how light and comfortable it looked, and how the small crystals matched her eyes. Alex squeezed her shoulders gently.

“You look beautiful, your highness. I noticed that many of the clothes you bought with you are very much suited to the northern weather. The queen had me bring you some dresses to try on, she was worried that you would not be comfortable in the heat.” She bought over four dresses of a similar style, they were looser and much, much thinner than what she would normally wear, and clinched at the waste. She picked up a navy-blue dress, and Alex helped her slip it over her head. Lena sat down again as Alex retrieved a pair of shoes that matched the dress. Lena was used to wearing enclosed shoes that shielded her feet from the cold, but these shoes were open. As she put them on Lena’s feet, she explained what they were.

“Here, many people do not wear shoes at all. It is not seen as unusual to walk barefoot, but the noble houses do wear them. This is called a sandal. It is made from leather, it will shield your foot from the ground but remain open and flexible for you to walk comfortably. This strap here goes between your toes.” She helped Lena stand as she tested these new shoes. The leather was supple underfoot, and it was an odd feeling to be able to stretch her toes and feel the ground underneath as you walked. Despite how unusual they were, Lena enjoyed them. The last thing Alex did was spread some scent along Lena’s wrists, her neck, and behind her ears. She poured Lena a cup of water from a decanter. The raven-haired woman thanked her quietly before draining the cup and setting it down next to the decanter.

“Come, your highness. Your parents and the King and Queen have already begun their breakfast.” The redhead said, opening the door and gesturing for her to follow.

Alex led her down several hallways and down a set of steps before they came upon a set of double doors. Two guards nodded at them as they grasped the handles and pulled the doors open for the pair. At the sound of the door opening, six figures stood at the table that sat at the centre of the room. Perhaps the first thing Lena noticed was the hulking figure that sat on the left side of the table. He was head and shoulders taller than her father, and his arms were easily triple the size. Suddenly, Lena remembered the Alura’s warning about not being afraid of the man- it suddenly made sense why she would say such a thing. His arms were covered in black ink, and his skin was riddled with scars. The mop of blonde hair had been neatly combed, and his beard had been neatly braided. He looked like he was capable of snapping a grown man in half.

On his right, Queen Alura was standing, and on his left stood Astra. Both looked small, compared to his bulk anyway, let alone her parents and her brother, who sat opposite them. They were dwarfed by the man’s size. Catherine was at the table too- much to Lena’s surprise. Before them, a spread of food had been lain out, but only eight places had been set. Before she could notice anything else, Lena’s father had introduced her.

“Zor-El, let me introduce my daughter- “

Before he could even finish his sentence, a booming voice interrupted him.

“Lena Morgana Luthor! We have met before, Lionel. There is no need for the formalities!” he said, his voice loud and warm. He pushed off the table (which shook at the action) and approached Lena, he took one of her hands, spinning her around to look at her.

“Look at how you have grown! And look, Alura! Her eyes! They are the same as when she was a baby.” He gushed. Alura nodded indulgently at the large man, unmistakeable affection in her eyes. Lena got the impression that his actions were something of the norm.

“I remember you when you were this small,” he continued, gesturing with his two hands. “all wrapped up in your furs and sucking on your fingers. You have grown into a beautiful young woman! come and sit, you must be hungry! Your father was just telling me about your journey.” He led her to a seat next to her mother, encouraging her to sit down as he helped her into her chair. By now, everyone else had taken their seats, and Alex was nowhere to be seen. Astra winked at her from across the table. Her mother patted her hand gently in greeting, leaning over and whispering a warm good morning in her ear. Lex sat on the other side of her father and had not even looked at her. Instead, he had opted to half-heartedly listen to the conversation between the two kings and push his food around the plate. If the two royals noticed it, they did a good job of ignoring it. Alura smiled at the two women in front of her as a servant set a plate of fruit along with some cuts of meat in front of her.

“Please, help yourselves to anything you see here. I sincerely hope you slept well, the journey must have been taxing.” She said, and Lena’s mother nodded.

“We must thank you for your hospitality. It brings us great comfort to know that Lena will be with such kind people once she is married.” Alura smiled warmly at her mother’s words. They spoke for a while about small, inconsequential things. Catherine and Astra seemed particularly engrossed in their conversation, speaking in low voices of to the side. Lena could not hear what they were saying but Astra had an unusually serious look on her face. Lena wondered where the princess of the south was- she had expected to meet the woman here, during breakfast. But no one had so much as mentioned her.

“Excuse me, your majesty? Forgive me if I am wrong but I was under the impression that I would be meeting your daughter today.” At her question, all the conversation on the table had stopped. Alura shot her husband a look before replying delicately.

“Kara has been busy preparing for tonight. She wanted to ensure your safety during the ritual and has taxed herself quite heavily.” She sipped on the tea that she was holding in her hand. Her father cleared his throat at this.

“About the ritual… I am sorry, but I have been trying to find sources to explain what exactly it entails. I have heard bits and pieces, but would you be able to explain what is actually happening?” at his words, Astra inhaled sharply and began choking on a piece of fruit. With a few hacking coughs, the woman relaxed and then slapped her hand on the table.

“You mean to tell me- that your daughter- has had no combat training?” She wheezed, drinking from the cup of water in his hand. Lena shook her head. With wide eyes she cast a panicked look at Alura, who for the most part seemed unconcerned. Zor-El shrugged.

“Calm down, Astra.” the king of the south said chidingly. “Have some faith in your niece’s abilities.”

“What would she need combat training for?” asked Lex, speaking up for the first time. Zor-El chuckled.

“Well, tonight, we will begin the first ceremony. Inside the sanctum of the dual temple, Kara and Lena will meet for the first time, Kara will take a draught that will trigger a type of temporary rut, and Lena will need to prevent being mated for a time.” He explained, stuffing a piece meat into his mouth. He laughed at the look of shock that he received from the people across from him.

“Lena has never fought a day in her life.” Said Lillian, her face a picture of horror. Alura was quick to try and sooth them.

“We realised this. We have taken precautions to ensure that Kara will not mate your daughter. At least not tonight.”

“What precautions have you taken?” asked Lena. Her throat suddenly felt dry, as if someone had placed cotton upon her tongue. She was quite literally going to be thrown to the wolves. She felt nausea rising at the back of her throat, and she swallowed hard.

“This will be the fifth day without food, and the second day without water. She has physically weakened herself so that you will be able to stave her off if she does lose control. There will be guards on standby if she does start getting too much, and Lena will have a dagger. Give her a good warning slice- try not to kill her.” Zor-El explained, and with a little giggle very unsuited to a man his size, he added “To be honest, I’d be surprised if her cock could even get hard with how little water is in her body, let alone fuck someone.” At his words, his wife’s eyes widened in horror. The two Luthors looked scandalised. Lena could feel a headache building in her temples. Alura slapped his arm, hard- not that it had any effect on the man next to her. At the look on her face, he offered an apologetic look.

“Sorry, that was hardly funny.” He said, but he looked quite proud of himself anyway. Lena rubbed bought a hand up to rub against her temples, trying to ease the ache that had begun to build.

“That… is barbaric. Why would you do such a thing?” Lex hissed, and his fork clattered against his plate as he threw it down. The bald man turned towards his parents.

“How could you promise your daughter to these… these savages!”

“What did you just say?” a deep voice rumbled.

Suddenly, all the warmth in the room felt as if it had been sucked out. As if Lex had turned the page of a book, the countenance of the southern king had flipped suddenly. The friendly smile that had sat on his face all morning had twisted into a furious scowl. Suddenly, the king seemed larger- his presence seemed to tower over everyone in the room. He had risen, his hands were pressed against the table as he leaned forward. His eyes had narrowed into slits as he stared down at Lex. Astra had half stood up, and she looked ready to launch across the table at any given moment to stop the king if he should lose his temper. Alura placed a hand gently upon his elbow, which was brushed off.

“Please, let me apologise on my son’s behalf, he has yet to-“

“That is not your son.” The king rumbled, and Lena realised that the metal goblet that the king had been holding in his hand had been crushed into a misshaped mess. Lena shuddered to think what would happen if the king grabbed a hold of someone else in his grip when he was so angry. It was true- Lex was not Lena’s brother. He had been adopted when he was only eight years old when his father had died in the war.

“I know those words, I have heard them before.” A look of recognition had spread across Astra’s face as well, and suddenly her eyes had narrowed as she turned towards Lex. The king of the south wrapped a hand around the dagger on his belt.

“You have bought me a snake, and he wears the skin of a wolf. What are do you think you are doing, Lionel?”

“It is not what you think,” replied the man in question. “I took the boy in after you killed his father. I had to, by law as he is my nephew.” Zor-El rumbled at this, sounding very much like an angry bear.

“And you thought it appropriate to bring him here? Sit down, boy. I could snap you in half like twig.” Lionel cleared his throat and Lex sat down slowly. Lena could see that his hands were shaking as he clenched them against his thighs.

“Circumstances prevented me from leaving him in the north. You are not the only one who hated my brother.” The king of the south nodded at Lionel’s words. Slowly, he sat back down.

“The boy will have guards with him at all times. I will forgive this omission of the truth this time Lionel, but next time I cannot be so sure. And you,” the king said, and turned his dangerous eyes to Lex. “what do you know of savages? Have you ever been to war?”

“My father died in the war, and so did my brother-“

“So, did my brother. And I know your father died. I am the one that killed him. But that is not the question I asked. What do you know of savages? Have you ever been to war?” the king pressed, and the entire table had fallen silent at his words. Lex shook his head. The king hummed at the action. He turned to Astra.

“What of you, Astra? do you remember the war?” he did not give her a chance to reply before he turned back to pierce Lex with his onyx gaze.

“Perhaps your adoptive father has failed to educate you, he is a kind man in that way. I have no such qualms. Have you ever been to the ruined village of Anrok-mor? All who travel from the north must pass it, for it was the only village you could resupply your stock before the great mountain pass, before it was destroyed. Do you know what happened there? They were your people.”

Lena had the feeling that she did not want to know what had happened there at all. They had indeed passed those ruins during their travel to the south- and her father had made a concentrated effort to skirt around it, instead of cutting straight through. Astra had turned away, and the normally bright light in her eyes had dimmed as she stared blankly ahead of her. Lena’s father was hunched over in his seat, his hands covering his face. There was no reply to his words. The king of the north sneered at Lex.

“I had led a retinue of 1000 foot soldiers and horsemen through the pass in order to intercept what we thought was a resupply chain that would be stopping at Anrok-mor. We were only three quarters through the pass when we saw the smoke rising.

When we finally made it through the pass, what we saw I think about every single day. Can you take a guess at what it was?” the man pulled large gulps of water from his cup.

“Everything was on fire. The men, the women, the children. Your biological father had led his soldiers to the village and they had refused to open the doors to the soldiers. Why should they have agreed? For the men to rape the women? That is how it is in times of war.

He had bought 700 men to Anrok-mor, which was only a village of 300 people at most. Full of children and people who had never picked up a sword in their life. And they refused him, and so he laid waste to the entire village. No one stood a chance. His soldiers were piss drunk as they laughed at the women who were crying as their skin was burned. He had taken little girls and hung them from the rafters of buildings by their hair. Little girls. His own people. The little boys he had flayed as they tried to run from him. I saw one not even in his fifth summer that had no skin on his back. Now, I have killed many men, but I have never tortured a woman or a child. Who is the savage?”

Lena felt sick. Her father had covered his ears as if it would stop him from remembering. Pulling up his sleeves, the king showed silvered scars that ran down his biceps and forearms. A set of five lines on each arm. His fingers were scarred as well, and there were crescent shaped marks on his palms.

“Your father stood no chance against our fury. We killed every soldier that had stepped foot in that village. He had laughed at the children that he had killed. When he saw me, he cried like a babe let out in the cold. Let me tell you how that coward died.” The king ran a finger down the lines on his arms.

“I broke every bone in that demon’s body. I pulled his nails away from his fingers, and the teeth out of his mouth. He defecated all over himself and wailed like the children he had killed. That shiny armour he wore. His silver sword. They did nothing for him in the end. I pummelled him until there was nothing left but a piece of unrecognisable meat. He died covered in his own shit and tears, scratching my arms and begging for his life. He offered me all the riches in the north. He offered to kill his king, his own brother. Anrok-mor was not his only sin, he was known as the northern demon. He is the only man I am proud that I killed.” Setting his cup down. The king stood from his seat.

“Perhaps we are all savages, young man. But maybe there is a chance that you should think about who you call a savage. You are very lucky that Lionel was kind enough to take you in, instead of eradicating your blood from the face of this earth. Astra, arrange for two armed soldiers to be with him always. No women shall tend to him anymore. Enjoy your breakfast, I have lost my appetite.” He nodded his head at everyone at the table before taking his leave. Alura cleared her throat before she too bowed her head demurely before following her husband. Lena watched as Astra sighed deeply and rubbed her face with her hand, it seemed as if a sudden burden had been placed upon her shoulders. Catherine patted her shoulder gently.

“To answer your question,” said Astra, after a few moments of silence, her voice far away. “The ritual is a type of test. It is important to note that as it is with many tests, there are many ways to pass it. I will talk to my brother about his decision to have guards escort your son, your majesties. Hopefully I will be able to change his mind.” Astra bowed deeply at the two royals, who nodded. Their faces were pensive and serious. Lex was staring absently into his plate, his ears burning a shade of red. Catherine had stood, too, her lips in a thin line.

“Come, Lena. There is something we wish to show you.”

Lena hesitated- casting a look at her father and mother who nodded at her, reassuring her that it was okay to leave. Lena had the feeling that her father was about to be very, very angry at Lex, and she did not want to witness him getting scolded. She followed the two older women as they led her down many flights of stairs. As they walked, Catherine explained to her.

“I know it is against tradition for you to meet Kara before the ceremony tonight, but nobody said anything about you seeing her.” Lena could see now that they were heading towards a tall, circular building. It must have been at least several levels tall, and each floor was held up by massive columns that surrounded an inner chamber. Instead of leading them through the entrance, Catherine led them around to the rear of the building, where Astra produced a set of keys. Gesturing to be silent she unlocked a door and poked her head through before giving the all clear before leading them through the door.

The first thing Lena noticed was how hot and heavy the air seemed to be. It was noticeably harder to breathe here than it was outside, and Lena was thankful that she was wearing a thinner dress. The next thing she noticed was that the tower had no roof, and the sun streamed through the top of the building to the people who may be below. The air was heavy with the smell of strong incense, and Lena could hear chanting, muted through another wall but rhythmic and strong. She realised that she must be in some sort of temple. Astra led them up flight after flight of stairs that followed the arch of the building, before they were perhaps five floors above the ground before she came to a stop outside a door.

“She should be in the centre. The high priest is giving Kara her first markings. Do not speak loudly, they will hear you.” With that, she opened the door.

The emerged onto a high balcony, that spanned the circumference of a central chamber. Astra walked straight to the edge and looked down. The chanting was loud now, and tendrils of incense carried on smoke rose to the sky. Lena joined Astra on the edge of the balcony. At the bottom of the tower, a ceremony was taking place.

There were many things happening at once. A brazier had been lit and it roared strongly at the back of the chamber, and in the centre a priest wearing a crimson shendyt carried a long tool and what looked like a small hammer in his hand. Surrounding him, twelve men and women in similar clothes kneeled on the ground, each one holding an incense burner and chanting in rhythm from a book in front of them. Despite the spectacle, the only thing Lena noticed was a blonde woman in the very centre of the room.

She was slumped in front of the brazier, facing away from Lena. She was naked from the waste up, and Lena could see the ripple of muscle across her back and arms and her sweat slicked skin. Two men held her up, preventing her from falling on the floor. The priest dipped his tool into a pool of black liquid, before he rested the sharp tip against her skin and tapped it precisely with the hammer in his other hand. Lena watched as the woman’s shoulder’s bunched at the action and her head looked up towards the heavens before she groaned heavily and slumped once more. Reflexively, Lena’s thighs clenched at the sound. Seemingly not noticing her reaction, Astra hummed.  

“That is your future wife.” Said the tall woman. Lena looked down again. She could only see her back. Despite her limited view, the woman looked lean and tall. Sweat ran down her skin and onto the floor, and her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders. Something twinged low in her belly as she watched the bunching of the woman’s muscles under her skin. Just under the sound of chanting, Lena could hear the rhythmic _tap-tap-tap_ of the hammer as the priest concentrated on his work.

“She is doing well for her first time, especially as depleted as she is.” Catherine said, resting her elbows on the balcony as she observed the procession below. The blonde did look sickly, now that Lena looked closer, and she remembered what Zor-El had said about the woman not eating for days in preparation for tonight. The witch turned to Astra.

“What did the high priest choose for her?” she asked.

“An Eagle and a Wolf.” Catherine snorted at her answer.

“Wow,” she drawled. “I wonder where he got the inspiration for that.” Astra rolled her eyes at the witch’s jab. Ignoring her, Astra leaned towards Lena.

“Well, what do you think? Do you like what you see? All the omegas go crazy for her, not that she gives them the time of day anyway.” She wiggled her eyebrows at the younger girl. Lena weighed whether she should dignify the woman’s words with a response.

“She seems… strong.” Said Lena, and there must have been something in her tone, because Astra’s eyes lit up in pure glee. The woman slapped her hand on the stone rail in front of her.

“I _knew_ it!” She crowed- and if the slap on the stone was not loud enough, her words definitely were. With panicked eyes, Lena looked down the balcony- the priest continued working, and the chanters continued their song. It would seem that no one had noticed them, and Lena relaxed slightly. Her eyes drifted to the blonde, and her heart jumped in her throat.

Her head had turned, and her piercing blue eyes pinned Lena in place. Now Lena could see the angle of her jaw, and the colour of her lips, and the shape of her nose. She was beautiful. They locked eyes for what seemed like an eternity. A rivulet of sweat ran down the tall woman’s temple, and her jaw worked as she swallowed. For a moment, Lena could hear the blood rushing past her eardrums. Their gaze was broken when Lena felt a hand wrap around her arm and pull her away.

“Oops.” Said Astra. “Sorry about that.” Lena barely heard her, but she nodded absently. Catherine shot the raven-haired woman a knowing look. Lena ignored her, instead, all she could think about were a pair of azure eyes staring back at her.

* * *

 

Dusk had begun to settle when Alex knocked on her door that evening. The room was cast in a golden glow as the last rays of sun stretched themselves out before retiring for the evening. She seemed tenser as she worked, and her brow was wrinkled as she set about helping Lena dress for what was to come. She slipped a dress over her head, and this time Alex used a strip of fabric to clinch the waist.

“Is something wrong, Alex?” she asked, as the woman is question tied the sandals to her feet. The red-haired woman looked up at her and shook her head slightly.

“No, your highness. I am just worried. I am sorry, I am being daft.” She replied. She took Lena’s hands and helped her stand.  Lena shook her head.

“I am glad someone is worried. I feel like I am the only one.” Said Lena, and she wasn’t sure if she should have said anything at all, because Alex’s brow furrowed even more. The young girl twisted her hands together for a moment, a pensive look on her face before she threw her arms around Lena, squeezing her in a hug. It took Lena a moment, but she slowly wrapped her arms around the other woman’s back and squeezed just as tightly. Before she could say anything else, another knock rapped gently upon the door. When Alex opened it, Lena was surprised to see Alura waiting for her outside.

“Good evening, Lena. Would you accompany me tonight? I will escort you to the temple this evening.” An encouraging smile on her coral lips. She offered Lena a hand as they walked.

“I am sorry that my husband lost his temper this morning. The war can be a sensitive topic for him. I only hope that you do not think his anger was directed at you in any way. He was quite excited to meet you.” She murmured as they walked the silent hallways.

“It was alright, your majesty. He seemed very… sad.” Lena settled, and Alura nodded in agreement. The older woman patted her hand.

“Well, never mind that topic for today. I wanted to talk to you about the ceremony tonight. You must be frightened.”

“I just… don’t know what to expect. I know you have told me what is going to happen, but I have taken suppressants since I got my mark… I don’t understand…” She found it difficult to articulate her thoughts. How could an alpha try to mate her if she did not even smell like an omega? Lena had been taking suppressants since she was sixteen years old, and as a result she could not even smell the difference between an alpha or an omega.

“I understand,” said Alura. “It will not matter if you are on suppressants or not. The tonic Kara will drink tonight will trigger a very intense but very short rut. It should only last a few hours at most. She is very strong willed, but you must be careful. You are old enough now that an Alpha’s rut may trigger a heat outside of your cycle. I want you to take this, I doubt you will have to use it but if you do, try not to kill my daughter.” The older woman procured a long, wickedly sharp looking dagger from the folds of her dress. She tucked it into the sash on Lena’s waste, and only the ornate golden handle could be seen.  

“Your highness, I have never… you know. Not with anybody, ever.” Alura did not reply to this right away, and she seemed to be considering her response.

“When I first saw my husband, I knew he was my bond-mate. But I was still terrified. He looks like a bear!” she chuckled, though it was wistful. Her eyes seemed far away as she remembered.

“I had never been with anyone either before I met him. I had no one to explain anything to me- but do you know what? I realised after I married him that there is no book or wizened old woman that could teach you how to love somebody. There is something inside of us- something ancient perhaps, that just _knows,_ little one.” Alura squeezed her hand gently.

“I was lucky because my husband is _kind,_ he is so kind. He looks like a bear, and gods know how many men he has killed. But he is a kind, good man. When I gave birth to Kara, I prayed that she would be like her father. And she is, in so many ways- her kindness, her, strength, her fury. But I like to think she got her courage and intelligence from me, as well as her good looks.” The humour clear in her voice. Lena smiled at the older woman, and her nervousness settled somewhat.

Lena could see now that they were coming upon a large temple. The entrance was easily 30 feet tall, and a set of double doors sealed the opening. One door was made from silver and impressed into it were illustrations of the goddess Lupus, and the other was made of gold with icons of the god Rao. Lena could now understand why this was called the dual temple. Two great iron rings hung from each door, and thick rope hung from each ring. A set of six guards bowed low as they approached, and they split to grab the rope and haul the massive doors open, revealing an astounding interior as Alura led her past the threshold.

Two great statues bracketed a central altar in the centre. On the right stood Rao, made of gold and ivory, his arms outstretched as an eagle perched upon his right arm. To the left was Lupus, made of obsidian and silver, holding a wolf pup in her hand.  Between them, a large stone altar ringed with torches sat. the high priest that Lena had seen earlier sat in front of the altar, still only wearing a shendyt and holding a goblet in his hand, which he offered aloft as he chanted in deep tones. Great tapestries hung along the walls, images depicting motifs of Rao and Lupus as they fell upon Morok-zol. Four of the soldiers that had stood at the entrance had followed behind them, and heaved the door shut. Now, the only light in the temple was cast by the torches that lined the walls and altar. Alura led her to the base of the statue of Lupus and squeezed her hands once more before letting her go.

“Just follow her lead, you’ll know what to do.” The older woman said, and turned to the altar, nodding her head at the priest. It was then that Lena realised that a wrought gate encircled the statues and the alter- effectively creating an arena. Alura shut the gate behind her, sealing the space with no other way to exit. Looking up, Lena could see that she had an audience- her father and mother were looking down at her, along with Zor-El and Astra. The priest finished his chanting and set the goblet down in the centre of the alter. He bowed to each of the statues and left the same way that Alura had. This time, he sealed the door with bolt and lock. Four soldiers stood behind him, ready to intervene on the King’s signal if need be. It was then that Lena looked across from her, to the feet of Rao.

She was tall, Lena realised. Tall and strong. Blue eyes met Green over the stone of the altar. Lena realised that the blonde looked very, very tired. She wore a top that only covered her breasts and revealed her stomach, and breeches with a loose crotch that was clinched at the ankles, and a pair of sandals on her feet. Lena could see the strength of her shoulders and the ripple of muscle under the skin of her stomach as she breathed. The raven-haired woman could feel the blonde’s eyes examining her too. She raised her chin under the scrutiny, and the blonde’s lips curved up in a small smile. She nodded slightly and stepped down from the statue with weary legs to kneel at the altar.

_Just follow her lead._

Lena joined her, kneeling on the opposite end. For a few moments the pair seemed to stare at each other before the blonde cleared her throat.

“My name is Kara,” she rasped, and Lena’s thighs clenched at the husk in the woman’s voice. “I am glad to finally meet you.” The blonde offered a crooked smile as she rested her elbows onto the altar.

“I am sorry that this is the first time you will have seen me, under these circumstances.” She sighed, looking around her. Lena mirrored her, and for a moment they were silent.

“My name is Lena, I am glad to meet you too.” She finally said, meeting the blonde’s eyes shyly once more. At her words, the southern princesses smiled widened, and Lena was stunned for a moment. It was so bright and warm, Lena could feel her heart beat faster at the sight. She smiled hesitantly back, ducking her head and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Kara’s eyes seemed to soften at the sight.

“You’re really beautiful, you know that?” a blush rose up into Lena’s cheeks at the compliment, she didn’t know how to reply. Kara cleared her throat.

“Sorry,” she said. “I don’t mean to make you more uncomfortable that you already are. I just want you to know that I will do my best. I just didn’t anticipate finding you so attractive. The ceremony starts once you hand me the goblet, okay?” The honesty in her voice was strong and sincere. Lena wrapped her hands around the cool metal of the cup.

“Are you ready?” Lena asked, and the blonde cocked her head.

“Only if you are.” She said and took the cup as it was offered to her. She raised it up to the ceiling, before downing it in a single pull. It clattered to the ground at her knees. She coughed, and her nose wrinkled at the taste. For a moment, Lena was struck by how charming the gesture was. Kara smiled at her and settled back onto her knees and closed her eyes. They said nothing then, but it was not long before Lena noticed a change.

It began at first as the soldiers stepped back from the gate. The shuffled and murmured among themselves before the high priest ordered something and they stood to attention again. At the sound, the blonde cracked one eye open which focused on the soldiers. For a moment, Lena thought she could see her lip curl over her teeth before she shook herself out of it, taking a deep breath and relaxing once more. It was not long after that the Lena began to smell… something. Once she noticed it, slowly it began to lure her in, and soon she was tumbling down a rabbit hole where nothing else around her and Kara existed anymore. It pulled at something deep within her, and Lena could feel the prickle of sweat forming at the back of her neck. It was suddenly becoming very, very hot. An ache began to build between her legs.

In the back of her brain, Lena knew what was happening. The alpha in front of her was triggering her heat. Even though she recognised this, Lena could not bring herself to care- nor could she resist if she did. Her breaths became deeper, and she could feel the flush creeping up her neck. Her nipples hardened in the warm air and suddenly became too sensitive against the fabric of her dress. Warms hands ran up her arms. Lena realised that the blond hand moved to kneel behind her. She could feel soft breasts press up against her back, and warm breath on her ear. A groan sounded in her ear.

“Ugh, you smell so good, how am I supposed to resist this?” Her nose ran up the curve of Lena’s neck before Lena could feel Kara nuzzle her gently. The blonde firmed her grip on Lena’s arms, encouraging her to turn around, and now Lena was pressed against the stone behind her as she looked into the blonde’s darkened eyes. It was as if a warm blanket had been draped over them, all the sounds and sensations around them had been dulled and everything between them had been sharpened. Kara’s hands offered cooling relief from her overheated skin. The blonde leaned forward, running her nose along Lena’s collarbone and wrapping her hands around the shorter woman’s waist. Lena exposed her neck at the attention. Kara purred happily before her lips finally met the soft skin there is she lathed attention onto the soft skin.

Lena felt those hands drift down from her waist to caress the curve of her backside. Her nipples were painfully hard now, and they brushed against the blonde’s body with each movement. Suddenly, Kara’s grip firmed, and she used her new grip to pull Lena’s body flush against her, growling lowly. Now Lena could feel the strength of the blonde’s body, the soft curves and hard edges, and the rigid mass that pressed insistently against her abdomen. Embarrassingly, Lena could feel her arousal gathering between her legs. She whimpered.

At the sound, Kara gathered the smaller woman up into her arms, setting her upon the altar. Unbidden, Lena’s legs wrapped around the Alpha’s waist, drawing her in and pressing her hardness firmly against her. Kara groaned lowly, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.

 “Gods, do you know how beautiful you are?” she said, and Lena could not reply. The blonde leaned over her, bracing her hands on either side of Lena’s shoulders. Her blonde hair fell around their faces, closing them off further from the world. She was so close that Lena could feel the blonde’s breath brushing against her lips. It was as if they were breathing only each other.

“Let me show you how beautiful you are,” the blonde pleaded, her voice quiet between them. “kiss me.” She said- and who was Lena to refuse her? Reaching up, the omega bought the alpha’s lips onto her own. Her lips were sweet and warm against hers, and they tasted of tart berries. They kissed for what felt like an eternity. When air became a necessity, the taller woman threaded her fingers through Lena’s hair, tilting her head up to lavish her neck. Lena lifted her chin and exposed her throat at the attention, much to the delight of the blonde above her, who pressed her lips against the soul mark at the junction between her shoulder and throat. Lena was confused when the woman pulled back to look into her eyes.

“What is wrong?” the raven-haired woman asked, and the blonde shook her head to sooth her.

“Nothing- it’s just, you’re mark. Here, look.” The alpha pulled back her hair, revealing her own soul mark to the omega below her.

Lena’s mark.

The blonde smiled brilliantly down at her and hitched one of Lena’s legs more firmly against her waist. The shorter woman reached up, pulling the blonde woman down to kiss her once more. Kara breathed heavily against her neck as she pressed her lips once more against the soul mark, tracing Lena’s collarbone with her lips. Lena’s back arched and she surrendered herself to the other woman.

Her eyes met the statue of Lupus. Silver eyes stared back at her, unblinking. As if being pulled from a deep pool of water, her senses slowly and then rapidly returned to her. the heat between her thighs begged to be sated, but Lena could now hear the priest ordering the soldiers to prepare themselves. She needed to stop this. Her hands pressed against the blonde’s shoulders, who lifted her head to stare at her in confusion for a moment. Her eyes were hazy, and after a few beats they cleared slightly. She shook her head, raising a hand to beat against her temple. She growled as if she was in pain. Her hips rutted forward against Lena’s and she groaned once more.

“Wait!” Lena said, and the alpha froze at her words.

“Why must we do this?” she said, “Can you not feel how much I need you?” Lena nodded feverishly at her words. As much as she hated to admit it, her hips were rocking gently up against the blonde’s, her arousal begging to be gratified.

“We can’t. Not today.” Warned the omega, and the alpha growled lowly and leaned over once more, pressing herself harder against Lena and kissing her once more. It became apparent that the blonde genuinely did not care about anything else if she was able to take the raven-haired woman there on the altar.

“Does it matter? You and I- we are made for each other. I have waited for you since I was born, have you not waited? We are together now.” Frankly, Lena agreed with her- but a large portion of her did not want to be taken on a stone altar while her parents watched on. Despite this, Kara’s smell and touch was quickly becoming intoxicating once more, and Lena could feel herself joining Kara in the throes of her heat. She looked up past the blonde’s head once more.

The silver eyes of Lupus stared down at her. Kara’s hands began to gather Lena’s dress in her hands.

Lena wrapped one hand tightly against the pommel of the dagger. With the other hand, she clutched the alpha’s cheek as their lips moved against each other. Kara’s hands drifted gently up to caress the inside of the shorter woman’s thighs, spreading her open, coaxing her, enticing her.

Lena pulled the dagger free, driving it up as hard as she could. Kara reared up, her eyes suddenly crystal clear as she fell back and slammed against the ground. A great cry rose up, and Lena could not tell whether it was Kara or herself- perhaps it had been the both of them. In a panic, she scrambled to press her hand against the wound as the blonde’s betrayed eyes stared back at her, a tear running down her cheek. Lena could only stare in horror at what she had done.

_As soon as Rao set his eyes upon Lupus, he loved her. He tried to mate her, then and there at Morok-zol, and Lupus almost killed him in his attempt._


	3. Steady Your Feet

Morning light drifted through the curtains which fluttered gently in the breeze. From her seat in the corner, Lena could see swirls of incense curling at the will of the wind. It was odd- she thought- she could not hear the birds this morning, and the room seemed cooler than usual. Even the sunlight itself seemed a little more subdued, and the sky not as clear or blue. Perhaps it was just her. A quiet humming in the centre of the room was the only thing that filled the silence, and the raven-haired woman cast her eyes to the bed that sat there.

Alura leaned over the sleeping form of her daughter, her dark hair a stark contrast to her daughter’s bright blonde hair which lay like a halo around her peaceful face. She hummed a soothing tune as she ran a sponge gently over her daughter’s face and shoulder, carefully avoiding the bright white bandages that covered Kara’s opposite shoulder and chest, where Lena had driven the sharp dagger two nights prior. She winced at the thought. She had only aimed to clip the blonde’s shoulder, and instead had managed to stab her bond-mate completely through the shoulder and slice down the anterior portion of her ribs. After falling, Kara had collapsed, and had not woken since. Alura had said that she had lost too much blood.

It had been two days.

“I have told you to not feel guilty, young one. She lives, and perhaps your footsteps will follow the God’s more closely than we thought. But now we must tread carefully. We bear you no ill will, but Kara is much loved by the people.”

Lena did not know how to reply. Not one of them had said even a short word to her- in fact, Zor-El had patted her shoulder, his face a mix between impressed and worried for his daughter. She had expected them to at least be angry, but not a word has been spoken. She sighed heavily, a head ache building in her temples. She rubbed her eyes tiredly.

“You have yet to sleep, Lena.” Alura said from her place tending to her daughter. Lena had quickly realised that the older woman had not been exaggerating when she said she was the best healer in the kingdom. it was she that staunched the bleeding and stitched the wound closed on her own daughter.

“Neither have you, your highness.” Lena replied. She had tried to sleep, of course- but instead had tossed and turned in the sheets. Every time she closed her eyes, a pair of blue frightened and betrayed eyes haunted her and chased any trace of sleep from her body. Alura herself had not left her daughter’s side, tending to her almost constantly. By now, the woman was visibly weary, yet she still waited at her daughter’s bedside. Catherine and Astra had made habits of coming and going, checking over the blonde or delivering a fresh set of bandages or salve.

 Alura dipped the sponge into the water bowl that sat near the bed, before running it over her daughter’s face once more. She nodded her agreement at Lena’s words.

“I will sleep today. She is not on the edge of death anymore, we only need to wait for her to awaken. Come, help me lift her so that I can wipe her down.”

Lena nodded and climbed up onto the bed so that she kneeled next to the sleeping woman. Together, they scooped the blonde up gently, moving her up into a sitting position propped up against Lena. Kara’s head rested on Lena’s shoulder, and the raven-haired woman could feel the woman’s warm breath brush against her collarbone. She could feel the warmth and softness of the taller woman’s skin as she supported her weight. Lena swallowed heavily at the sensation as Alura wiped down the blonde’s back.

Lena watched as Alura lifted the bandages gently to check the wound on the blonde’s ribs. while not deep, the thin wound on her ribs was still an angry red. She could not believe she almost killed her.

“She is healing well. I think she will wake up either today or tomorrow.” Alura said conversationally, as if sensing the younger woman’s thoughts.

“She will have scars, like her father. I hope you don’t mind them.” she continued, wiping down Kara’s back. The black tattoos on Kara’s back simmered as her mother wiped over them. On her right shoulder blade was wolf, while on her right (partially obscured by a bandage) was an eagle with its wings spread. Lena could feel the sturdiness of the woman’s muscles as she held her. Lena shook her head at the older woman’s words.

“I don’t mind them.” She said. Alura hummed, turning her back to Lena as she organised some things on the table that had been set next to the bed. Kara’s hair shimmered in the morning light, and with a hesitant hand Lena reached up, curling a soft strand of hair between her fingers and tucking it behind the blonde’s ear. She could see her soul mark now- a perfect copy of her own. She stared at it for a long moment.

“I can’t believe I stabbed my bond mate.” she said quietly. Obviously not quite enough, because Alura snorted at her words.  

“I can. Something you must learn quickly is that you are an omega- but you are also a future queen and chosen by Lupus. You must be a strong omega- stronger than many alphas, strong enough for a strong alpha. Do you think some random alpha from the street hold any sway over me?” the woman cocked a questioning eyebrow at Lena. Lena paused for a moment- Alura was assertive for an omega. Like Lena, she was quiet and reserved, but she was not one to be told what to do and her words were taken seriously. Lena shook her head at the older woman.

“I guess not.” She replied.

“Hmm. Sometimes our society forgets that there is not some line that divides alphas and omegas and keeps them separated. They overlap each other in many ways- especially when it comes to those of royal blood. A royal alpha could drive an omega from the commonfolk insane with their heat, and a royal omega could drive an alpha from the commonfolk to the point of insanity. The potency of the heats and ruts are voraciously different, it is an interesting phenomenon.” Alura helped Lena lay the blonde gently back down flat.

“But back to my original point. You are an omega, but you are also a future queen. You must help your alpha lead the people of two kingdoms- so you must be able to stand for what you want, even if that means standing against your alpha who is blind to reason. You did well yesterday- we are very happy with how you passed the test.” 

Lena remembered what Alura had said- that there were many ways to pass a test. While Lena could concede that she had indeed passed the test, she did not think she did it with finesse.

“Do you think she will hate me, when she wakes up?” asked Lena. Alura placed her apron on the table before she turned to look at Lena.

“My daughter is a sore loser, like me I suppose. She already loves you. Now, I am going to get some rest. You are welcome to stay here, or you could rest yourself.” The older woman replied. Just before the brunette left the room, Lena stopped her.

"How am I to love her, if I do not know her?" she asked, pain lacing her voice.

 

"Silly girl," said the woman "can you not see that you love her already?". With those departing words, Alura left Lena alone.

Love her already? _Hardly._ Lena thought- or perhaps she was fooling herself. Hesitantly, she stood at the edge of the bed, observing the sleeping woman in front of her. she pulled up a chair, sitting down at the bedside, and propping her elbows up on the edge of the bed as she rested her chin on her folded arms and stared up at the blonde.

Now as she looked closely, she could see a small, thin scar that ran just under the blonde’s ear. She traced the taller woman’s features over and over, dedicating them to memory. The soft sheets under her felt cool and comfortable to the touch, and slowly Lena could feel her weary eyes close under the soothing sounds of Kara’s even, strong breaths.

A soft hand coaxed her from her sleep. Lena could feel a gentle finger tracing the whorl of her ear feather light, before curling around a strand of hair. The curl was abandoned so that the finger could trace the outline of the soul mark on the skin of her neck. Lena’s eye’s fluttered open, blearily meeting a pair of bright blue eyes. The blonde cleared her throat.

“Sorry,” the taller woman said, her voice raw from lack of water and not speaking. “I have never seen someone with hair so dark.”

“You’re awake.” Lena said, sitting up. The blonde mirrored her, wincing lightly as she tried to sit up as well.

“Wait, don’t sit up, you will hurt yourself. I need to get your mother.” Lena made to leave, before the blonde caught her wrist.

“Wait, sit with me for a little while. I am hardly dying.” The blonde crooked a smile, obviously finding her attempt at a joke funny. Lena stared at her for a moment- baffled.

“You almost _died._ I almost _killed_ you _._ ” Lena said, and much to the raven-haired woman’s confusion, the blonde chuckled weakly.

“Yeah, but you didn’t. Good shot by the way. Do you think you could hand me that water?” she chuckled and gestured with her good hand to the tankard of water that was sitting to the side. Mechanically, Lena poured the blonde a cup of water, which she greedily drank. Kara drank two more cups before her thirst was apparently sated, and Lena spoke again.

“You appear to be taking this surprisingly well.” She said, and the blonde considered her for a moment.

“I am angry, if that is what you are saying. I did get stabbed, though I did perhaps deserve it a little bit. At the end of the day, I did not mate you and we can continue with the other trials- you did well.” The blonde said seriously. Lena nodded at her words.

“Even so… I am sorry that I hurt you so badly. It was not my intention to maim you so seriously.” Said Lena. The blonde nodded.

“I will not lie to you. There is a part of me that feels quite betrayed, but I understand why you did it. It has happened now, and we cannot go back and change it. How long have I been asleep?”

“Two days.”

“Oh. Are you okay? You look like you haven’t slept.” The blonde said. Lena shrugged.

“I was… worried.” She replied, and the blonde hummed at her words.

“well, there is no need to worry any more. Come, rest with me. I don’t know if I will sleep, but I am not going anywhere, and I know this castle can be lonely, even with so many people. I promise, you won’t have to stab me again to keep my hands off you- unless you want me to touch you that is.” The blonde winked at her.

Ever since she got her mark, Lena had imagined what her bond mate would be like. In the beginning, she thought it would be a man, a knight who wore armour and defended the lands like the books that she would read. Later, she imagined they would be a woman, with dark hair and pale skin much like the northern women she had grown up with. She had closed her heart to such imaginings when she realised that it did not matter who her bond mate would be- because she would have to marry the person her parents had promised her too. Even so, Lena had the feeling that she would not have imagined anyone like Kara. Somehow, as she looked down at the brash stranger that she now had been inexorably bound to, she could not help the warm feeling that had built in her chest.

“I don’t think you’d survive it if I stabbed you again, to be honest.” Lena quipped in reply. The blonde grumbled good naturedly as the raven-haired woman slid into the bed next to her. she yawned lightly as her head rested against the pillow. The blonde turned as much as her position would allow so that she could observe the woman next to her. Lena blushed under the scrutiny, hiding her face further into the pillow. Kara’s brow wrinkled in response to the action.

“I meant what I said that night, you know?”

“What do you mean?”

“That you don’t know how beautiful you are.” The blonde said evenly. If it was possible, Lena could feel the redness creep up her pale cheeks to the tips of her ears. Lena knew that she was beautiful, she was just unaccustomed to hearing it said so outright.

“You’re not so bad yourself.” The blonde smiled at her words.

“I’m sorry that it embarrasses you when I say it. I just thought…” the blonde pursed her lips, as if quelling the thought.

“What did you think?” prodded Lena. The blonde swallowed.

“I was always afraid that the person I was going to marry would be so foreign to me that I would not be able to imagine spending the rest of my life with them.”

Lena was silent at this. She had had the same fear. It was common in the north for people to refer to those from the south as barbarians. Her parents had never said anything of the sort- in fact, they had made a point to never talk about what the south was like at all. Despite that, Lena supposed that she had also been afraid that she would be forced to marry some barbarian from the south. Maybe it had been the same here, growing up in the south without ever knowing how people in the north ever talked or looked like apart from a few stray travellers far from home.

“I was afraid of that too. I didn’t have any idea about what the south would even be like, I never imagined… this.” She replied, and the blonde hummed in response. They observed each other for a moment. A stray lock of hair had fallen in the blonde woman’s face, and with a gentle hand Lena reached up, snagging the curl and tucking it behind the blonde’s ear. Lena rested her hand there for a moment, feeling the warmth of the woman’s skin. Kara didn’t move, merely observing the raven-haired woman’s face. Taking it as some sort of permission, Lena brushed back the curtain of blonde hair, revealing the soul mark on the taller woman’s neck. She ran a thumb over the mark and stifled a yawn.

“You’re very tired.” Observed Kara.

“Are we going to talk about the fact we have the same mark?” she replied, her voice thick with the sleep that had been creeping up on her the past two days. Kara caught her hand before she could withdraw it. The blonde smiled at her, revealing a set of white teeth.

“We can talk about whatever you like when you wake up.” She replied. Lena nodded, and slowly, the weariness pulled on her eyelids. Kara pressed her lips against the palm of her hand, and Lena smiled softly as Morpheus took her.

* * *

 

It was not long after that Kara was up and walking around again, albeit with a sling supporting her arm. Her mother had given the blonde woman strict instructions to not remove it for another three days. The woman in question had grunted in displeasure at her mother’s request but obliged all the same. What she did not oblige in, however, was her mother’s request to stay in bed for another day. Kara was not one for sitting down or resting, much like her father. Alura had smiled at this and sighed heavily.

“Come walk with me in the gardens, then.” She said, and Kara was happy to do so.

The royal gardens were always lush and well-kept and situated just outside the grand doors of the ball room. During the day, the sun would shine down on the multicoloured plants and birds that bracketed the stone walkways and complex water features. Kara could remember running through the gardens, circle after endless circle- passing trees and shrubs and stone statues until she came upon the centre of the maze-like garden where her parents would be entertaining some guest or other under the afternoon sun. In the evening, the birds would quiet in their nests, and instead the moonlight would cast shadows and glean effervescent against the fountains that would gurgle for stray guests from parties that would steal away into the gardens with some partner or another. Kara was one of those people once upon a time, before she got her soul mark and still had fantasies of the woman she was going to run away with and marry. Kara watched as her mother walked a little ahead of her, her brunette hair shimmering in the light. Her mother looked back at her, a knowing smile on her lips. Kara knew that look.   

“So, what do you think of her?” she asked and stopped to lean over to pick a vibrant orchid from its stem. The blonde smiled at the woman’s back.

“Did you know we had the same soul mark?” she asked, Alura handed her the flower.

“I did.”

“I wondered why you seemed so… relaxed.”

“Ahm.” The older woman replied.

“How did you find out about her mark?” she said curiously. Her mother’s smile grew smug.

“I took a bath with her.” Kara could not help the lurch in her stomach at the older woman’s word’s. for a moment, Kara remembered the smell of the omega, the softness of her skin, the heat of her breaths against the mark on her neck. Before she can control herself, she imagines pale skin dipped in water, flushed red with blood, breaths against her neck carrying moans. It takes effort to reassert control over her wayward thoughts.

“You must be jesting.” She said, and her mother shook her head, shooting her the same look from earlier.

“She’s very pretty.” She said.

“She is indeed.” Kara let out a short laugh at her mother’s words, she rubbed her face with her free hand.

“I like her.” The blonde said.

“Good. I do too.” Her mother said. They continued for a short while before her mother spoke again. The traces of humour were gone from her voice.

“We must tread carefully now. Soldiers saw what happened during the ceremony. Word has already reached the Borok chief, your father has heard complaints of the northerner and how we should have ‘butchered them before they butcher your daughter”.” She snorted, waving her hand dismissively. A bubble of something- defensiveness, protectiveness, anger perhaps? It churned inside of her.

“What are you saying?” she asked. Her mother clicked her tongue.

“What I am trying to explain to is that there are people with a vested interest in killing Lena before we are too entrenched in the ritual. Your father wants them to have guards, I am hesitant to cause panic for our guests and I am concerned for the people. The reason we did this was to stop this cycle of violence between us. We need to present your union as a joyous event, not have it tainted by an old man spinning tales about northerners that have come to steal the throne.”

Kara had diverted most of her attention by the end of her mother’s tirade. The Borok chief was a snake of a man by the name of Non- he was a slippery man. Cunning. His tribe was weak, but populous. He could pose a serious threat to Lena if he set his mind to it. Kara was sure her mother thought the same thing- otherwise she would never had mentioned it. She would not allow any harm to come to Lena, the thought of any potential harm coming to her made something hot climb up her throat. She could feel the heat from the tips of her fingers to the tips of her ears. Her teethe ground together, and she could feel her heartbeat thrumming in her veins. With a start she realised her mother was talking to her.

“Control yourself.” She said, her voice stern. The tone made Kara snap back to reality, she focused back on the brunette in front of her.

“Sorry, I was… thinking about something else. Lena should be safe, Alex is watching over her.” She said, as if reassuring herself. The brunette narrowed her eyes as she stared at her for a long moment.

“You will begin having… urges, Kara.” The older woman said. “You need to recognise what triggers them and when they happen, and you need to control them.” She pointed a finger at Kara in warning.

“You will not lay a finger on Borok. We will deal with him a… different way.” Kara nodded at her words.

“Yes, of course. I understand.” She replied, her mother stared at her a long moment before she kept walking down the stone steps that led to the centrepiece of the garden. She sat primly on a stone bench and watched the birds tumble over each other in the air. Kara let the flower she was holding fall into the water of the fountain. She watched as it floated for a moment before sinking to the bottom.

“But,” she said to her mother. “if he does anything to her, I am going to kill him.” Her tone was matter of fact, as if she was discussing what she was going to eat for dinner. Her mother examined her for a moment.

“I would expect nothing less.” She replied, a grim smile on her lips.

Kara watched as an eagle landed on a nearby tree. In the water, a fish examined the flower before swallowing it whole. The eagle spread its wings, swooped down and ripped the fish from the water. With a deft ruffle of feathers, it landed back on its perch, and with a snap of its beak it tore the head of the fish completely off, killing it instantly.

Kara smiled.

* * *

 

It was in the evening that Non visited the palace- his presence not wholly unexpected. Like many of the chiefs, he had come to Rao-nin to witness the union between the north and south. He had requested an audience with the king and queen and by default their daughter. Kara strode quickly down the halls, past the dining hall and to the opposite wing of the castle. She knocked quietly on the door, and Alex opened it.

“Is Lena respectable? I hoped for her to accompany me for something.” She said, and Alex nodded, opening the door wider to reveal Lena, who looked surprised at seeing the blonde. Kara bowed slightly.

“Good evening. I am sorry to disturb you, however there is some business that I wanted you to be a part of this evening, if it is not too much of a disturbance.”

“I would be happy to accompany you.” Lena said, and took the offered hand. Without preamble, the blonde began to lead the smaller woman down the dark halls and began explaining.

“I am sure you are no stranger to politics. My mother has probably warned you that what happened the other night has probably caused some discontent among some of the chiefs. One of them is more outspoken than the others- his name is Non. He is a viper of a man, and there are no words to explain how much I distrust him.”

“He has spoken out against our union? Does he not know we are bond mates?” Lena asked. Kara shook her head. The sword on her hip gleamed in the torch light as she wrapped her hand around the hilt.

“He has said on multiple occasions that he wants you and your family dead.”

“I see.” She whispered, and obviously she could not keep the nervousness out of her voice. The blonde grabbed Lena’s arm, stopping them in their tracks for a moment.

“I will not let them touch a hair on your head.” She said seriously- and it was true. She would sooner cut of the man’s hand than allow any harm to befall Lena. The shorter woman stared into the dark pools of her eyes, the levity in her tone comforting her. she nodded, and the blonde examined her face for a moment before leading her once more.

“We need to make it clear that we are a united force against any doubts that would stand in our way. Politics demand we make it clear that our defence is invulnerable and our attack unavoidable.”

“What do you want me to say to him?” Lena asked, and Kara took her hand.

“Anything you want. Remember, you will be his queen one day, whether he likes it or not. Here we are.”

Kara pushed open the door to the study. Zor-El sat at a desk at the back of the room, large like him and made from timber. He was reading over paperwork in the candlelight. Alura sat next to him, a book in her hand. She smiled at the pair as they entered. The blonde led Lena to a seat next to the fireplace- where the air was warm but not too hot. Kara sat on the chair next to the raven-haired woman, breathing a sigh as she finally settled. Non was nowhere to be seen. Her shoulder ached from standing up all day, and she winced as her back rested against the upholstery behind her. Lena notice the action, even from the corner of her eye.

“Is it not too early for you to be walking around today? Perhaps you should have stayed resting in bed.” She murmured, and tucked a cushion under the blonde’s arm, taking the weight off the sling. Kara smiled gratefully at her.

“No, I had work to do today anyway.” She explained. Alura snorted into the pages of her book.

“If by work you mean tailing me like a little puppy all day, I despair to actually think about what your version of relaxing is.” She jabbed, and Kara groaned at her words. Lena chuckled at the teasing, and Kara could not help but smile at the sound. They were interrupted by a servant knocking on the door. Everybody stood as Zor-El did, and the servant opened the door to reveal Non, clad in all black. He bowed at the king and queen, and when his eyes fell upon Lena, his lip visibly curled. She did not flinch under his gaze, instead lifting her chin defiantly.

“Your majesties. Thank you for meeting with me so late in the evening. I had heard some troubling news and hoped that you would be able to ease my worries.” He said. His voice was oily, just as Kara remembered it from when she was a child. Zor-El came to sit on one of the lounges in front of the fire next the Kara, he gestured to the Borok chief to sit down as he poured himself a glass of wine.

“Please, Non, sit down. What has been troubling you?” the larger man said. Nothing in his tone suggested there was anything to be worried about. Non slinked into his seat across from Kara’s father.

“We have heard mutterings that the initiation was completed but a few nights ago.” He said, and the King hummed in confirmation, sipping from his wine. His dark eyes stared at Non over the lip of the goblet. For anybody else, it would look like the king was merely paying attention, but Kara could see the subtle almost unnoticeable narrowing of his eyes which telegraphed that he was beginning to become angry.

“we have been told that the northerner tried to assassinate your daughter during the ritual.”

Zor-El placed his goblet gently on the table next to his seat. He folded one hand over the other and turned to face Non fully. It was an odd look for a man so large- sitting so prim and proper on a chair that barely fit him. Zor-El offered a smile that revealed all of his teeth, which managed to be friendly yet threatening at the same time.

“Ah. I understand your concerns. To the contrary, Lena here did exactly what we asked of her. They passed the trial with flying colours. As you can see, Kara is in good health.” He replied. Non’s eyes flicked to Kara for a moment.

“My apologies, your majesty. My sources must have been mistaken. Perhaps you would be able to clarify what exactly happened, so that I may ease the worries of my people.” At Non’s words, Kara’s mother stepped forward, placing a soothing hand on her husband’s shoulder, which he reluctantly relaxed at. Alura smiled at the Borok chief.

“I would be able to explain the events of that night, Non. I gave Lena a knife with strict instructions to not allow Kara to mate her at any cost. Unfortunately, Kara lost control, and Lena followed the instructions I had given her.”

“You gave this… _northerner…._ A weapon when your daughter was the most vulnerable? And this girl tried to kill her? why is she still sitting among you?” he said, spitting the words as if they were dirty.

“I did not try to kill her.” The raven-haired woman said, her tone serious. The older man shook his head at her, a vein bulging in his forehead. At his next words, her eyes widened slightly. A white-hot anger clawed its way up Kara’s back, her teeth suddenly ground together. With two wide strides she blocked the man’s view of Lena.

“I was the one to warn you against bringing these serpents into our kingdom. they will poison us from the inside out.” He pointed a finger at Lena and opened his mouth to speak.

“And don’t you dare speak to me you northern-“

“SILENCE!” a booming voice yelled. The sound rattled the windows and startled all the occupants of the room. Zor-El had risen from his chair, the goblet in his hand crushed in his grip. Even the fire in the room seemed to shrink at the sound. Black eyes glittered with fury as the king of the south stared down at the smaller man.

“How dare you speak to your future queen in such a way? What have you been drinking that your head has emptied?” at the king’s words, Non’s eyes narrowed.

“Future queen? No northerner will rule the south. The gods will not allow it, bond mates or not. And even then…” He said.

 “I warn you to be careful with your next words, Non. I still have a good arm that can use a sword. ” She bared her teeth at the old man. Her hand wrapped around the hilt of the sword, but she stopped when a cool hand wrapped around her elbow. The sensation gave Kara pause. Lena’s hand ran down her forearm before gripping her wrist. Zor-El raised a hand to stall their speech.

“Foolish man. I raised you up from nothing and you stand before me with the weakest tribe in the south and the gall to talk in this way. Have I made you too comfortable in your position?” he said.

“The other chiefs have voiced their concerns-“

“I have spoken with the chiefs, and they are content with what the gods decide during the trials. Which begs the question- is one of my chiefs trying to create discontent among my people?” his voice was dark and ominous.

“I would never try to cause conflict in the south.” Non said defensively, and the king cocked his head.

“Then what was your aim in coming here tonight? That I would suddenly change my mind or divert the path the Gods have chosen for us?”

Non said nothing in reply. The king hummed.

“I am in a merciful mood today. Let us forget about this conversation, and pretend it never happened.” Said the king. Non leaned forward in his seat.

“And if your daughter dies during the trials? Can you not pick someone more suitable for a mate?” his voice was smug, as if he expected Kara to die.  

“She will not die.” A strong voice replied. Kara turned to look at Lena. Her face was stony, and her voice was strong. Her hand was still grasping the shorter woman’s hand. Kara could feel Lena squeeze her hand.

“And she is mine, and mine alone. I will be the only one that will be mated to her, and I will be the only one to bear her pups. And whether you like it or not, I will be your queen.” Kara could not help the twist of pleasure at the woman’s words. Non stared at her for a moment, he stood and bowed to the people in the room.

“I can see that coming here was an error in judgement. Please accept my apologies, your majesties.” Zor-El waved his hand dismissively at the Borok chief.  He said nothing more, only bowing to the two younger women before making a brisk exit. When he got to the door, he turned to look at Lena.

“We shall see what the trials hold in store.” He said and shut the door behind him. The room was silent for a few beats.

“We will need to keep an eye on him.” Alura stated, and Zor-El harrumphed in agreement. The older woman sighed, a shadow passing over her face. That was when Kara realised how much the situation was wearing on her parents.

“Anyway, it is time to get some rest. It has been a long enough day.” She continued. Kara could not agree more.

“I am tired too. I’ll take Lena back to her quarters, if she doesn’t mind.” The blonde said, offering a hand. Lena rolled her eyes but took the blonde’s hand anyway.

They walked for a little while down the empty halls.

“So,” Kara said, her chest puffing out a little. “I’m only yours, huh?”

“By the Gods,” Lena drawled. “how am I not surprised that pleases you so much?”. Kara only smiled in response as they kept on walking, but she couldn’t help herself.

“You’re the only one I’ll be mated to, and the only one who will have my pups?” she crowed. Lena groaned, not even satisfying the blonde woman with a response. They came upon the door to Lena’s room.

“You were right, you know?” Lena raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow in question.

“About what?” she asked.

“I’m really not anyone else’s, and I’m not going to mate with anyone else, and I don’t want anyone else to bear my pups.” She shrugged at this.

“I hope that is acceptable to you.” The blonde finished, flashing her a bright but serious smile. Lena gave a bright laugh at that. She reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind the blonde’s ear, smoothing the crease in her eye that bellied the seriousness of her words.

“I think that is more than acceptable.” She replied.  

“Alright, I’ll leave you to your rest, Lena. Goodnight, may Lupus smile upon your dreams.” She said quietly. Before she could turn to leave, Lena threaded her fingers into the fine hair on the nape of the blonde’s neck, pulling her down quickly to press a feather light kiss briefly upon her lips. They stared at each other for a long moment, Lena’s fingers rubbing gently against the back of her neck. A shiver of pleasure tingled down Kara’s spine at the woman’s action. She let go, albeit a little hesitantly.

“Goodnight, Kara.” She replied, and the taller woman nodded before turning and making her way down the hall. Before she turned the corner, Lena could see the moment the blonde leapt into the air, letting out a barely controlled _whoop_ before disappearing. Lena only smiled.

When she lay down that night and closed her eyes, she dreamt she was running through tall grass, not knowing where to turn. Up ahead of her, a great eagle took flight, swooping low over Lena’s head and taking the lead. Lena chased the eagle until there was no grass or ground beneath her feet, and the sun had sunk below the horizon. It was then she stepped out into nothingness and realised she herself had wings and could join the eagle in the sky.


	4. Scentless

“She will be your charge, Alex. You must protect her as if you were protecting Kara herself.” Zor-El rumbled, his face dark and serious. The fire had dimmed slightly and had cast long shadows across the room. Alura and Astra sat pensively near the fire, speaking in hushed tones. Alex bowed her head obediently.

“My life for hers, my king. Until the sun does not rise.” The king nodded approvingly. It is then that Astra joined them.

“I have sent scouts ahead, Zor-El. Caravans have already started arriving at Morok-zol. They will send word of any concerns using light-wings.” He acknowledged her words with a dip of his head once more.

“Alura, will you begin the preparations for travel? It seems the gods wish for the trials of Morok-zol to be upon us.”  His wife nodded her assent at his words, patting his bicep and offering the large man a brief kiss before leaving the room. Astra and Alex bowed before leaving him to his thoughts. Sighing heavily, he finished the last dregs of wine from his cup before meandering his way to a night of restless sleep.

* * *

 

Lena was equal part surprised and please when she opened the door that morning to the sight of a bashfully smiling Kara. The blonde bowed respectfully.

“Good morning, your highness. I am here to help you with your morning ablutions.” She said shyly, and the servants behind her bought in the supplies that would be needed for that morning. Lena noticed how they shot furtive looks at each other, their faces almost bursting with the castle gossip they would be spreading as they hurried to excuse themselves and leave the two alone.

“I see.” She murmured. “While I was expecting Alex this morning, I cannot say I am displeased with her replacement.” An easy, somewhat cocky smile spread across the blonde’s face as she watched Lena brush her teeth.

“If you are displeased with my services today, I will find you the best that palace money has to offer, I promise.” She replied confidently. Lena could not help the smile at her reply. After allowing the shorter woman to brush her teeth, the blonde guided her to stand in front of the dresser. Despite the mirth in her tone, when Lena looked in the mirror, she could see Kara over her shoulder, her face serious as she examined Lena in the reflection. Delicately, as if waiting for Lena to reject her, Kara rested her hands on the shorter woman’s shoulders and allowing them to drift down to stroke delicately down her arms. Unconsciously, Lena realised how tense she must have been, and unbidden she could feel herself relaxing at the blonde’s ministrations.

“Every morning when the sun rises, we will begin our day this way. From this moment until the end of my days, no one else will have this privilege. Do you understand?” Her words were velvety and heavy as she spoke, and Lena realised the significance of this moment for the blonde. She nodded her head submissively in reply. A small smile quirked at the blonde’s lips. Her hand moved now, gently, as if asking permission to the raven-haired woman’s hips.

“Am I allowed to help you remove your sleeping gown?” she whispered. For a brief second, Lena thought about saying no, but one look into the liquid blue in the glass in front of her filled her with calm. She felt very much like a deer that had surrendered itself to the paws of a great predatory beast. Gently, Kara lifted the dress to reveal an expanse of flawless alabaster skin. Instinctively, Lena covered herself with her hands- not that it did much.

For a moment, the blonde seemed to drink in the sight of her in the reflection of the mirror. Lena could see her throat bob as she swallowed thickly. Blue eyes traced down her form in the reflection before moving to stare directly at the curves of Lena’s ass.

 _Predatory indeed._ Lena thought as she watched the expressions on the Alpha’s face. Kara guided her to sit in front of the dresser. Kneeling in front of her, the blonde gently guided Lena’s arms away.

“There is no need to hide yourself from me, Lena. You are beautiful. How could I have thought to resist during the ceremony? Truly, you will be my weakness.” Kara confessed, holding Lena’s hands in her own. Standing, she soaked a soft towel in scented water before beginning to wipe down Lena’s face.

If Alex’s work was clinical and per functionary, Kara’s would be reverent- worshipful even. Lena could feel it in the way the blonde traced each one of her features, as if memorizing every angle and curve. When the warm towel brushed over her bare breasts, Lena could not help the way the puckered and hardened in response to the stimulation. If Kara noticed, she said nothing, sparing Lena the embarrassment. Lena herself did not want to admit that just the presence of Kara alone was able to excite her in a such a way- and this? This was almost too much for Lena to bear.

Kara examined her thighs carefully, making sure that no blisters or infection had scarred.

“Your legs took the brunt of your ride south. Luckily you did not blister or open a wound. We will have to be careful when we ride North again.” She muttered conversationally. A look of confusion cast over Lena’s face, which Kara noticed.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“Why are we riding back north?” Kara paused at her words, though she did remain kneeling.

“I forget that the Northern customs are not the same as ours, sometimes. You travelled the south eastern route through the mountain pass. This time we will be heading to Morok- zol, for something called the ‘trials’.”

“Trials?”

“Hmm. Do you know the story of the beginning? When Rao and Lupus first came to this land?” when Kara saw the nod she got in reply, she ploughed on.

“Well, similar to the story, I will set out to find you ‘gifts of the earth’, so to speak.” Her tone was light-hearted, but Lena remembered the story well, now that she had heard it.  She would not be fooled.

“You mean to say that you are going to go out and hunt the same things that are in that story? That hardly sounds safe, at all.” She protested, and Kara nodded thoughtfully at her words.

“I suppose it does not. However, I have trained since the moment I could walk. I have learned to hunt, ride, climb, and fight by the best in the south and across the breach. Do not worry about me, Lena.”

Lena stared down at the woman in front of her. Hesitantly, she reached down, tucking a loose strand of blond hair behind Kara’s ear. In the same motion, she could not resist tracing down the curve of her ear and down her neck. The soul mark on the blonde’s neck bold and strong.

“I will worry.” Lena said, gripping Kara and pulling their faces so that their noses almost touched. Lena’s knees bracketed Kara’s hips now, and the blonde had to brace herself against the bare skin of Lena’s thighs to stay balanced.

“Well don’t. I will show you how strong of an alpha I am, I promise you.” The blonde replied, and their lips brushed together as she spoke. Lena would have scoffed at such primitive motives but a week ago but know the thought of an alpha- _her_ alpha displaying her strength to everyone excited Lena in a deep, primeval part of her being. Perhaps she wanted people to know that she had _the_ alpha. As if sensing her thoughts, Kara smirked.

“What dress would you like to wear today?”

Kara helped her with her clothes and her hair, making small talk as she worked.

“Ask me any question,” she proclaimed, “and I will answer it.” And so, Lena did. She asked about many things, and Kara answered to the best of her ability. Sometimes the taller woman would ask questions too- mainly about what life was like in the north and seemed content to just listen to Lena speak. It was not long before she was ready. Her hair tumbled down her shoulders in dark curls, a stark contrast to the sunshine blond of her bond mate. The red of her dress matched the red of Kara’s pants. Lena was startled to see that it had only taken half an hour to be ready.

“Come, breakfast should be ready. I will be meeting your parents today.” Kara said, taking Lena’s hand.

* * *

 

Introductions went well, all things considered. Kara’s father greeted them warmly, his normally booming tenor filling the room. He clapped his daughter hard on the shoulder, which she winced at, and Lena’s father had given the blonde woman a mechanical but polite shake of her hand and bow. Lena’s mother offered a polite curtsy which Kara returned. Kara did not expect anything beyond that, considering the circumstance. Conversation flowed easily around the table, the inhabitants becoming more relaxed as time went on, Kara could not find it in herself to relax fully. Her eyes settled on the bald man sitting at the end of the table, eating silently. Lex Luthor.

There was something… odd. He pointedly did not meet the blonde’s eyes. For some reason, it irked her. Breathing deeply, she could scent the two male alphas, her aunt Astra. Underneath those scents, she could smell her mother, the northern queen. Above them all, she could smell Lena. But she could not scent Lex.

 _Odd._ She thought. _Are there suppressants that can dull a scent so effectively?_ She made a mental note to talk to Catherine later.

She must have been staring for a little too long, as she felt a hard kick to her shin. Her mother looked at her pointedly.

“We ride out at dawn tomorrow morning. I was saying that perhaps it would do Lena some good to ride with you a little while, to take some stress off her legs.” Kara dipped her head in agreement.

It would have been ideal to let Lena sit in a carriage for a little while, but the travel was unkind to carriages, which were prone to damage along the journey.

“If she is comfortable with it, I would be glad to let her ride with me for a few days, until her legs heal a little more.” The Luthor royals nodded their assent at her words. Before long, the two royals excused themselves from the table, taking Lex along with them. Kara watched as he followed them out, a pensive look on her face. Lena touched her elbow.

“Are you okay?” she asked. Kara nodded hesitantly.

“Forgive me… but your brother. He is quite unusual, no?” she asked. Lena soothed her.

“He has always kept to himself, I suppose. He was never one to talk too much, but he has always treated me well.” At her words, Kara still could not shake the feeling of discontent she had about the man. Despite this, she bowed her head, smiling at her bond mate.

“Of course, Lena. I am sorry. Perhaps this the herbs that I have taken for my shoulder has unsettled me, pay me no attention.” Lena stared at her for a long moment, unsure. Before she could say anything, Zor-El hefted himself up from the table.

“Well, young ones. I have work to do. Kara, remember that you are to spend the day with Astra today. Any problems, you know where I am. Lena, feel free to join Kara in the throne room- however I would say to spend some time in the library or resting. The ride to Morok-zol can be hard on the body.” With that, he dismissed them both.

Astra and Alex waited for them outside the timber double doors. Alex greeted Lena warmly, but it seemed she could not resist taking a swipe at Kara.

“I am impressed, your highness.” She said, and at the look of confusion on Kara’s face she clarified.

“I didn’t have faith that you could even pull your own pants up, let alone prepare your bond mate so immaculately. You look wonderful, Lena.” She laughed, narrowly avoiding the playful strike that Kara aimed at her. The blonde sniffed, tucking her hands into her pockets and gently bumping Lena affectionately with her shoulder.

“Keep underestimating me, Danvers, and I will continue to surprise you.” She replied, she winked jokingly at Lena as they followed Astra down the hall.

“So, what would you like to do today, Lena? Astra and Kara will spend the day settling problems and requests from the citizens today, but I can take you anywhere if you do not want to watch them work all day- the library may be a good start.” Alex offered.

In truth, Lena had spent many days watching her father settle disputes, and the thought of spending her day watching an endless line of people was enough to encourage a headache to form. But a day in a library? Now that did sound appealing. Her answer must have been clear on her face because Kara chuckled and squeezed her shoulder warmly.

“I will see you tomorrow morning, Lena. Have fun today.” The blonde farewelled, the blonde cast serious blue eyes in Alex’s direction.

“Make sure you take care of her today.” Alex bowed her head at the commanding tone of her voice, and before Lena could reply Kara had already made it half way down the hall, around the corner and out of view.

“Well,” the red head chirped. “to the library, I suppose.”

* * *

 

Catherine’s chambers were dark, and the thick smell of incense seemed to cloy and thicken the air every time Kara tried to inhale. The young blonde was thankful when the older woman opened the curtains to let sun and fresh air through into the room. Now Kara could see piles upon piles of books and parchment scattered in piles along the tables, chairs, and even bits of the floor. Odd little thingamabobs, like feathers, tiny bones, shiny stones, and tufts of fur also decorated the space.

“How is it that Lex Luthor has no scent? I have met many people on suppressants that have very mild scents, but I have never met someone with no scent.” Kara asked. Catherine took a moment to reply.

“Well,” she considered. “there are a few ways that you can nullify your scent, however they are difficult and expensive. But I doubt that is the important question. Why would he need to?” the older woman replied.

“Perhaps he is an Omega?” Kara asked, but Catherine shook her head, her face pensive.

“Why would that matter to him? He has no claim to the throne, and even if he did… why would being an omega matter?”

“Then he is hiding something.” Kara said decisively. The witch rolled her eyes.

“Surprisingly, I actually agree with you. I will try to see myself what he is using- that may provide a lead as to what exactly he is trying to hide. It may take me a few days. So, you may need to be patient.”

“Thankyou, Catherine. I do appreciate it.” The shorter blonde hummed in acknowledgement of the blonde’s words before flicking a hand at her dismissively.

“Alright then, off you go. It seems we both have work to do today.”  

Before Kara closed the door completely, she heard Catherine begin to mutter to herself as she cleared a space on one of the tables.

“Odd, there are only a few herbs that can achieve this-” before her words were cut off by the click of the latch as the door shut completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a long time, I posted an update on my tumblr, where I answered some questions. You can find the link on my profile.


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